Today We Die
by enigmaofherself
Summary: It's In Your Blood sequel. Having faced the wrath of her childhood, Ryanne is now ready to face her future including that of Spencer. They've confronted love but can they confront commitment? Love may be a four letter word, but so is hate, pain and lies.
1. This Dying Day

**Violi; mischieflover; babyshan211; El Neneo; Marthienessex3; hockeygrl125; Demon of the Deep; Thorn555; boogabooga13; CountryGirl07; 4; IluvOdie; anonymous**

sequelsquealsequelsquealsequelsqueal

Try saying that seven times fast.

Oh, and the wedding scene is up: **Sincerely Yours.**

_.disclaimer._

_Just to clarify for the first and last time on TWD, I do _not _own anything remotely related to the Covenant, and I have lost the actual DVD as well. Anything you do not recognise, such as plots, characters and history have all been fabricated from my own (and sometimes PorcelainChaos') mind, yet the only payment we are receiving are reviews, so, you know, spare a moment and review please? Will try to answer each one!_

Enjoy!

_**D**_resden _**L**_ace

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**It's In Your Blood _sequel:_ Today We Die**

**_P_****_reface _****- This Dying Day **

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_Panic_.

Pure unadulterated panic.

It rose like bile in my throat.

I couldn't breathe.

I couldn't scream.

I was alone.

Abandoned.

_miss mary mack mack mack_

An agonising ache of a fading pulse, a dying heart.

Everyone was smiling. Faces behind glass, staring and glaring down at me like I was an experiment ready to be dissected.

Disposable.

_all dressed in black black black_

That was all I was; after everything, I was still just an inconvenience, an insignificance.

That was all _we _were.

I could do nothing.

_she has a knife knife knife _

With every beat of my black heart, poison ripped through my veins like needles on the petals of a red rose.

Like molten blood, silent screams dripped from my mouth.

I watched him.

His eyes never left mine as the knife in my stomach twisted.

_stuck in her back back back_

Karma, he told me.

Fucking _karma_.

There was nothing I could do. Fight? No. I didn't have the Power.

Neither of us did.

There were standards to meet, but not even my tiptoes could push me high enough. Not even my love could make me good enough.

_Us. _Make _us _good enough.

_she cannot scream scream scream_

Once upon a fairytale, I was told a secret.

Is a secret a burden, or just a lie untold?

The history books had opened, revealing pages of dust and lust and myth.

Rules.

_she cannot cry cry cry_

Could I let go?

When it would mean losing a fight I had sworn to win? A battle that had destroyed my entire life?

Could I let go?

When the pain of our only separation was like torture in my memories? The inability to move on, to function, was too devastating to ignore?

Could I let go?

It would mean discarding, destroying everything - every_one _- that I loved, that I needed. It would mean giving in to the one thing I hated most in this world, proving it right.

_that's why she begs begs begs_

Could I let go of the inescapable pressure that surrounds me where ever I go; the constant need to be better, to do better, only to fail each time? Could I let go of the suffocating intensity of not being good enough for a century of expectations; the immortal fear and pain that inflicts me without resent? Could I let go of the dependency, the reliability, the constant guarantee of my loyalty and submission; the demand that I stand there, stoic and proud, my emotions taboo to their very nature? Could I let go of the longing to survive, the disapproval of my own genetics?

Could I let go of the blame that falls on my shoulders, on my child's shoulders, just for being in love?

Could I hold on?

_she begs to die die die_

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	2. With Each Breath

**hockeygrl125; El Neneo; babyshan211; mischieflover; violi**

Love you all!

_.disclaimer._

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**_D_resden _L_ace**

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**With Each Breath**

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It was a monster.

No, a demon.

A nightmare brought to life that would haunt her unto her very last breath.

"_Please _don't make me go in there!" Ryanne pleaded once more, her fingers trying to pry Pogue's tight grasp from her wrist.

"It's just a school, calm down. Come on, you're seventeen now, be an adult," he chided, rolling his eyes at the theatrics of his younger sister. Sarah laughed and nudged the redhead with a knowing look.

"People are looking," she told her and watched as Ryanne's face paled, her eyes widening in sheer childish horror.

"Oh _God,_" she cried, forgetting the useless scrabble with her brother, inside bringing up her arm to hide her face from view. "Pogue! People are looking at me! I _told _you people would look at me!" The long-haired boy glared mockingly at the blonde who just grinned, nestling into Caleb who was also smirking.

"Where. Is. Reid?" Ryanne demanded heatedly, trying to stamp her foot as she walked but unfortunately, wasn't very successful. "He said he would be here by now..."

"I told him to come a few minutes later," Tyler piped in.

"_What?" _Ryanne squeaked, dramatically aghast.

"Yeah," Daniela nodded. "'Cause we knew he would sweep you up and take you away as soon as you turned those big weepy eyes on him."

"_You_." Ryanne thrust an accusing finger at the petite brunette who seemed all too relaxed for her liking. "You were supposed to be my _friend_." Daniela just shrugged, her eyes amused.

"_Traitor_!" The group laughed, and even Ryanne had to curve her lips despite their looming proximity to the large school filled with smart people. People that had gone to school _before_.

"So when _is_ Reid getting here?" Tyler checked his watch, slinging his arm around Daniela's shoulders, kissing her temple.

"About... now." With perfect timing, a silver car with black trim pulled up, wheels squealing as the brakes were slammed on. Students watched as Reid jogged towards Ryanne, snatching her up in his arms. As their lips met with a fierce need, the two submerged into their own passion, forgetting for the briefest of seconds where they were. Ryanne's hand laced in Reid's hair, the soft strands tickling her skin; his fingers pressed into her ribs as if trying to force her bones to merge with his own.

Pogue frowned, stepping away from a snickering Kate to lightly punch Reid in the back, forcing him to pull away.

"Settle," he snapped, trying to appear more humorous than he felt. Reid just glared at him, before touching Ryanne's lips once more with the most gentle kiss, an intense whisper of skin. She sighed as he let her go, all her cares evaporating from the heat of their love. It was so sickeningly romantic, but she didn't give a fuck. Reid was hers, and hers alone - that was all she could ask for.

Together, the group - the family - strode into Spencer Academy, joking and laughing as they went, exchanging memories, insults and kisses. Those who saw them pass through the doors watched in confusion, not recognising the new additions to the Ipswich boys, nor understanding the affection that surrounded them all. It seemed almost celestial, superior. As if once broken, but stubbornly repaired, repeatedly fixed - and each time made stronger. They seemed unbreakable.

Were they?

* * *

The morning was a constant back and forth between Ryanne and Pogue about how important school really was. Daniela watched as Ryanne's face scrunched up in mock pain as she speculated the idea of having to endure Maths every day; the redhead shook her head in defiance.

"But they don't know what they're talking about, Pogue!" she declared. Pogue merely raised an eyebrow.

"I don't think they understand what Maths is about! They keep adding _letters _and stuff to the sums... that's not right, is it? That's for English lessons, isn't it? So why are they mixing the two?" Ryanne saw the incredulous looks some students were throwing at her after hearing her complaint, and she blushed. She knew she was stupid, she knew she was uneducated. Daniela saw it too and bit her lip; she may seem it, but she wasn't entirely comfortable. A lot of the things Ryanne blurted out, she thought too, but was keeping to herself. It wasn't fair for the other students to make them feel like they were dumb and idiotic: they had been through things they would never have to imagine, yet because they didn't understand Maths, they were infantile.

"That's Algebra," Tyler explained with a smile. Ryanne threw him an exasperated look.

"I don't care what it is - I _don't _want to do it! I don't see why you're all making me go to such a posh school. I'm not clever enough for here. This is a complete waste of money. You know what? I should just leave and go be with Addy. I shouldn't be leaving her." The redhead went to scram, but before she had even stepped a pace, a pale hand gripped her wrist. Her shoulders dropped; she knew she wouldn't be able to resist her man.

"Addy's with mum, okay? And Wayne. She's fine, and so are you. This is _not _a waste of money, love." His deep ocean eyes snagged her's, and that was it: she was a goner. A husky sigh left her slightly parted lips, and Reid smiled.

"Will you help me count?"

"Of course, sweetheart."

And off they went holding hands, shining in their simplicity.

* * *

Daniela stared at the man like he was stupid. The professor glowered at her but couldn't hold her icy gaze, instead turning to the girl next to her, hoping the two weren't alike.

"You, Miss... Valentine. What's the answer?"

"Like I bloody know," Ryanne muttered to herself.

"Ry'," Tyler groaned as Daniela snickered, the man gritting his teeth, trying not to scream out _'detention!' _as they were only new students, so they technically wouldn't know any better until a few days later - or so the rules said.

"Surely personal experience taints whatever image the author is trying to get us to imagine. For each person it will be different, so there can't be a definite answer." Or, _I have no idea. _

"Would you just nod and say yes?!" Tyler snapped at them, fed up with the two's constant dismissal of anything they didn't understand or didn't _want _to understand. They took their own opinions and no one else's, effectively infuriating the entire faculty. Ryanne and Daniela were _not _open-minded people, as much as they would like to think.

Fortunately, the bell didn't seem to vanish, so the lesson didn't take forever to end. The girls leapt up, dragging Tyler behind them as they scoured the halls for the rest of the gang. Daniela hated having to be still for too long, forever preferring the great outdoors, while Ryanne was desperate to see Reid as he hadn't been in their last lesson.

"Reid!" she sang, prancing up to the blonde with a gleeful smile. He heard her call and abruptly ended the conversation he had been having, opening up his arms as Ryanne threw herself at him. The two kissed joyously, feeling almost giddy from the normality of school.

"Missed you darling," he whispered in her ear, causing her to shiver in delight. With a terribly infamous smirk, Reid took her hand, leading her away from the others and to the car where they'd be driving home alone. But first, he wanted to take her to her favourite place, the place that had made everything official.

No one said a thing as they felt the murmur of Power drift over them; Reid had allowed his eyes to bleed black, the shrubbery of Ipswich fading to the sea saltiness of the White Cliffs. It was evening there, the sun dropping lower and lower into the water. Ryanne made a sound like a purr, sinking into the grass to gaze over the water; Reid dropped to his knees behind her, kissing down her shoulders and neck, massaging his fingers into the base of her skull, smiling as she moaned.

Ryanne turned and kissed him, allowing him to envelope her completely, pulling her down to the grass. As the sun grow dark, violet slashing across the dark pink sky, there was a peaceful silence that dusted the earth and everything seemed content with lazy perfection. The wife and husband, beautiful in their love, their youth, their passion, were alone on the clifftops, untouched by humanity. Nature was their only witness, and as the sun set, so did they, slumber finally overtaking them.

It was real, it was perfect, it was true.

Eternal.

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	3. Baby Steps

**MusicJunkie4; El Neneo; mischieflover; Violi; boogabooga13**

This is a _honest _happy chapter! I promise.

_.disclaimer._

enjoy!

**_D_resden _L_ace

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**Baby Steps**

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It may be the biggest game of Chinese Whispers, but at least you got a qualification for it at the end. That's what had to be kept in mind as the volley of rumours, gossip and whispers swept through the student body. Now all four of the Sons had been taken, and the less dignified females (hell, some of the males too) were in mourning. Ryanne didn't have enough fingers and toes to count the number of hopefuls that approached Reid, asking him when he was next 'free'. The redhead watched with mild distaste as they drooled over her husband, twitching to slap them all.

Reid got increasingly embarrassed as the days went on, reassuring Ryanne countlessly that he wasn't really like that. She would merely shrug; she had known he was a womaniser, a man who liked his sex.

"You're not like that any more," she would reply, kissing him gently on the cheek. "So it doesn't matter."

Daniela, on the other hand, was more scathing of the pretty girls who had a habit of hanging off Tyler's every word, suggesting study dates and shit like that. So, to balance it out, Daniela had the habit of telling each girl exactly what she thought of their antics. They would quickly leave after realising Tyler was not going to jump to their defence.

Another issue concerned Ryanne's last name. Wayne had already submitted her into Spencer before her marriage to Reid, so many documents had her maiden name, Valentine, printed on them. However, when was officially accepted into the school, this required more forms from her, which were signed with her surname, Garwin. So far it hadn't turned up, but on the third day in a Literature class of some sort, the problem finally surfaced. Mr Rogers had taught the class before, and was familiar with the register. He consulted the newly updated version he had been given with a quick glance, the names running of his tongue with ease. Daniela, Reid, Caleb and Ryanne were not even aware of the calls as they chatted amongst themselves.

"James Folls?"

"Yes."

"Amy Fredricks?"

"Yes."

"Reid Garwin?"

"Yeah."

A pause.

"...Ryanne Garwin?"

"Yeah."

None of the four had perceived this alteration of name; it was common for the newly weds to be referred to as the Garwins, usually said with some sort of connotation. It was only when Daniela looked up and saw the entire room staring at them, did the penny finally drop.

"Dude, is she your _sister?" _one boy asked in slight disgust: everyone had seen the intimacy between the two.

"Incest? That's fucking_ wrong!" _someone else cried, earning a few nods in agreement. Ryanne felt her cheeks flame and Reid frowned as she ducked her head, subconsciously brushing her hair forwards. Disliking her discomfort, he slipped her arm around her waist, tugging her closer in defiance.

"She isn't my sister," he told the room, ignoring the pointed looks from the professor. Everyone's eyes were on them, and it was then that the four realised how much everyone paid attention to their lives, how much they relied on the Sons to give them something to talk about.

"Then who _is _she?" Kira enquired as she twiddled with a piece of long hair.

"Ryanne is my wife."

Well, my God, it was safe to say that Literature wasn't at _all_ mentioned for rest of the lesson.

* * *

Sarah grinned at the table as she sat down in the cafeteria, sliding her tray in front of Caleb. Ryanne frowned, stabbing her fork angrily into the meat on her plate. Reid rubbed her arm with the back of his fingers, smiling at her in reassurance.

"You really know how to make an impact," Sarah laughed, stealing a peck from Caleb's cheek. He blushed.

"Not _my _fault these people have no lives whatsoever, so they have to be fixated on ours, is it?" Ryanne asked Reid who shook his head, taking a gulp of his drink. Already rumours were spreading around the school: that she was purchased from some poor country, that it was a new 'rich kids' trend, that the infamous man-whore had knocked some new girl up and her parents were insisting on wedlock, an arranged marriage, some kind of brainwashing... it was all so fucking childish.

So much shit had happened, so much _adult _crap that they had been forced to deal with - they had adapted to that kind of morality. Big ideas, big problems. Being back at school just seemed so... jarring. All the whispers and rumours was like a muddy puddle at their feet rather than the racing river they had been fighting against recently. Like a mosquito buzzing around their heads.

They wanted to go back to being normal, but now it just seemed so... _ugh. _Pointless. There was no reason. Everything they needed to know they had learnt already. It was merely going through the motions.

Time floated by without fail, reliable and true like always. School ended when the week came to a close, and the group was able to saunter on home for the weekend to pretend like they wanted this to be their life. Like they enjoyed the lack of fuss, crisis... anything.

Ryanne managed to convince herself quite well, loving the peace and quiet as she sat on the balcony, reading a book about some golden-eyed vampires. Her iPod was in her ears, singing to her softly as the breeze brushed her hair. It was nice while it lasted.

Daniela ran into the room, slamming the door shut behind her in a panic; she held her breath, looking around her in a frenzy as if someone was searching for her. Ryanne watched her friend with a raised eyebrow from her seat, confused at her behaviour.

"You all right, love?" she asked as Daniela shakily pushed her hair out of her face, biting her lip.

"You've got to help me," she whispered, her eyes full of fear and wonder.

"What's the matter?"

"Something's wrong... I'm late. I have _never _been late. What if I'm...?" She drifted off, sitting down onto the seat with her eyes closed. Ryanne let her book drop the floor, moving to watch as Daniela gnawed at her lip, a habit she picked up from the redhead.

"Pregnant?" Ryanne finished for her after a few seconds, seeing the goosebumps that spread like a virus across Daniela's smooth skin.

"What if... it's not... Tyler's?" An iced silence dropped onto them both, memories they never wished to remember flooding their minds like vermin. A muffled sob escaped Daniela's lips, and Ryanne's heart broke a little. Desperate to give her friend hope, she counted back the numbers in her head. That night with Richard had been over a month ago now... whereas her and Tyler had been together more recently, obviously. Again and again the numbers fixed together perfectly, and Ryanne allowed a laugh to echo through the air. Daniela stared at her in horror, but then the expression slowly faded into one of disbelief. Even though she wished to have Tyler's baby, that outcome never featured in her fear, only ever imagining the worst scenario.

"... I'm having... Tyler's... _baby?" _Without waiting for an answer, Daniela jumped up, spinning around whilst laughing joyously.

"Honey, you don't even know if you're pregnant yet," Ryanne reminded her; Daniela stopped, frowning.

"Thanks for ruining my happy dance." Ryanne laughed and stood, grabbing a hold of Daniela's hand to drag her out the room. The boys were out, what better time to get a pregnancy test?

"What, one of those sticks that you piss on?"

"Yes, Miss Eloquent, that's exactly what I mean. Come on."

It didn't take long to drive down to the pharmacy and pick up a pregnancy test. They tried to avoid any Spencer kids, and hurried back to the house, excited and nervous. This was it, this was something they had subconsciously been waiting for: something big, something bigger than them. Something beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

They scuttled up the bathroom, giggling amongst themselves as they locked the door behind them. Considering this was something so important, they were finding it easy to (finally) slip into their alter-ego teenage girl selves. Ryanne whipped out the box, throwing the bag in the small bin. She handed the test to Daniela whose face dropped in a nanosecond.

"How on Earth do you do this?" she moaned, scrutinising the stick in her hand. "How is _this _supposed to tell me whether I'm pregnant or not?" Ryanne sighed, scratching her forehead as she moved to the mirror; she glanced at her reflection: their were purple smudges under her eyes, but there was a happy sparkle there too.

"You pee on it. It's quite simple."

"I can_not _believe the super-cool technological way of finding out whether women are pregnant is to get them to piss on something. It's bloody degrading." Ryanne shot an exasperated look at her friend.

"Would you just pee?!"

Daniela skulked to the toilet, shutting the door, grumbling the entire time. Not moving, she stared down at the stick, allowing a few seconds to pass until she whined through the door.

"_How am I meant to do this?" _The irritated growl was easily heard from the other side of the door.

"You. Pee. On. The. Damn. Stick."

"But..." Ryanne yanked open the door with narrowed eyes, pushing Daniela out the way. A few minutes later she stormed back out, throwing the stick down onto the counter. Daniela peered at the thing in interest, thinking about holding a little miniature Tyler in her arms, with a cute button nose and dark blue eyes... She asked how you knew if you were pregnant. Ryanne picked up the instructions, reading them without thought.

"It says here that if a blue line appears, it means you're pregnant," she recited. Daniela hesitated.

"What... like... this?" She gingerly picked up the test, showing it to Ryanne, whose eyes were slow to move, not taking it in.

"What? Oh, yeah, like that." She bit her lip absentmindedly as she reread the instructions; Daniela watched her for a second longer.

"Er, Ryanne?"

"What?"

"Your test."

"What about it?"

_Pause._

"It says you're pregnant."

"... Huh?"

"Honey. You're _pregnant_."

* * *

The two youngest of the mysterious Covenant were laughing as they walked through the door in high spirits. A good night at Nicky's had left them with heavier pockets and lighter heads. But that quickly stopped when a muffled scream shot through the house, clearly feminine. Without a second thought, the two Sons were flying up the stairs, the Power rising on instinct; the blonde Used to slam open the bathroom door - this was where the scream had originated - and the two rushed in to scan their tiled surroundings... and then paused.

Ryanne and Daniela were skipping around the bathroom, screams and shrieks conveying their pure unadulterated joy as well as their oblivion to their new audience. The redhead suddenly twirled, pulling her hair out of its messy ponytail, allowing the thick locks to dance around her shoulders. Daniela was jumping up and down on the spot, doing some little weird wave with her hands and head, her eyes bright and loud.

"Ryan?" The Power slipped away but the adrenaline remained cautiously in their veins as neither of them understood what was going.

Hearing his deep tones, Ryanne spun round, her eyes large and happy, a ridiculous grin spreading across her lips; she leapt upon him with vigour, kissing him again and again. Daniela let out another round of laughter as she snatched up Tyler's hand, her eyelashes fluttering mischievously. For a horrible second, Reid remembered the strange psychotic reaction of the two girls when they were overwhelmed by pain and fear... but no, this wasn't hysteria, this was just pure happiness.

"Daniela? What's going on?" Both the girls looked at each other and smiled, simultaneously leaning into their partners, whispering delicately in their ears - they had planned their revelation many times over.

"I'm pregnant." The boys froze in shock and the girls pulled away, grinning and bopping about. They took each other's hands and spun; maybe they were over exaggerating and acting like children, but finally, _finally, _things were going right again. Ryanne couldn't believe it - she had Addyson, her first little miracle, and here she was, blessed with another... and Reid would be the father. The child would be a part of him, a part of her, the two of them together. Something beautiful... someone beautiful. And Daniela... she was humbled. The world was allowing her to be a mother, giving her a chance to be the best she possibly could, and with Tyler at her side, she would be unstoppable. She would care for her baby the way she wished people had cared for her. Love the baby, the way she had wanted to be loved.

"You're... pregnant?" Tyler murmured. "As in, with my baby?" Daniela smiled, a gentle shrug of her shoulders showing Tyler, more than the laughing, smiling and dancing, how truly happy she was.

"As in, with _my _baby?" Ryanne rolled her eyes at Reid's reiteration before placing her hands on his chest, brushing her lips along his jaw. _Yes, _she told him with her eyes, _of course. _

Tyler knelt down, running his fingertips down Daniela's legs, and pulled up her t-shirt, placing his lips just above her belly button. Reid's hand knotted into Ryanne's hair, pulling her lips to his, enveloping her entirely with his passion and love for the beauty in his arms. Were they terrified? Most certainly. A deep fear rocked through the Sons - through them all - threatening to overcome them... but they saw a vulnerability in the girls' eyes, as well as heart-aching love: right then, at that moment, there was no self-doubt, no hatred, no _pain - _just a genuine, simple and happy glint of normality. And right then, it didn't matter that this was something so hugely massive and complex, so intense and new, something that could threaten to break them down, test them in ways they never dreamed of... because they would do _anything _to see that relief in their beloveds' eyes.

"Thank you," they whispered. Who were they thanking? Themselves, for managing to actually make things work? The girls, for loving them and being everything they could ever want? The babies, for existing? God, for granting them this humbling miracle? Or to life, for continuing to _be._ To be honest, they didn't entirely know... and it didn't matter anyway.

"Thank you."

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Review, beauties?

Can you imagine little mini Tylers and Reids running about? I want one of each!

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	4. An Abrupt Turn

**4; xXaussie609dancerXx; boogabooga13; Violi; darsh23; mischieflover; Serephina21; El Neneo; hockeygrl125; avidswimmer09; mischieflover; Thorn555; Enlighten; addict-4-dramatics; babyshan211**

Sorry for the wait everyone. But yeah. This is a happy chapter... :)

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Enjoy!

**_D_**resden **_L_**ace

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**An Abrupt Turn**

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So, it was safe to say that Pogue wasn't _entirely _happy about the situation. No, not really. At all. Yeah. Totally freaked. Things smashing everywhere. It was a little melodramatic if Ryanne could say so herself. Which she could. And she did. Yeah. Pogue didn't appreciate that.

"You've got a _baby _inside of you, Ryanne!" Pogue shouted, whipping around to thrust his hands left and right like some crazy person.

"Yes, Pogue, that's usually what being pregnant entails." Ryanne was stood between a teeth-gritting Reid and a shaking frenzied Pogue, both of whom were getting worked up about something which should be a good thing.

It was so unfair as well: the others had found out about Daniela's pregnancy first, and oh yeah, everyone had been cheering and clapping. Then Ryanne tells them the happy news, and Pogue goes getting pissy and Caleb gets all "you're too young". It was degrading how they treated her, how they treated Reid.

"It's _his _baby!" he shrieked, his long hair thrashing around as he gestured and motioned violently. Reid snarled, his fists tight and clammy as he held back the urge to smack his stupid older brother in his stupid older face.

"You say that like it's a _bad _thing!" Ryanne cried, Pogue's habit of using his arms to put across his point obviously getting contagious as the redhead started to do the same thing. Kate noticed how similar the two looked when they argued.

"It _is!" _he retorted, then drew in a breath as he realised what he had just said. He locked eyes on Reid who was staring at his brother with a varied look, too many emotions clouding his once sharp blue eyes.

Reid couldn't believe that all this was coming out now. He knew that Caleb thought everything he did was worthless and would only make a fool of himself and those around him, but _Pogue? _Reid had thought Pogue, usually the peacekeeper would have more faith in him. Especially recently as Reid had only done his hardest to prove to everyone how much he truly cared about Ryanne, and about himself in a way: cutting down on his Usage, not drinking as much, not going to wild parties, doing his work. In a time when he was being the most sensible he had ever been, the one time he was actually proving his worth, his _family _were just cutting him down, not even caring about he felt about all this.

"Nice, Pogue," Ryanne spat, glaring at her old brother with malice, hurt on behalf of her husband, incredulous about how the two _eldest _Sons were acting. She had always thought the four of them had a really strong bond, emotionally, mentally as well as magically, but it seemed that the bond was really split down the middle: two halves of a puzzle forced together, rather than one smooth circle.

"That's not what I meant," Pogue said quieter, sighing, running a hand through his long hair. "Reid..." The blonde looked away, smiling bitterly to himself, than back to Pogue, back to all those who doubted him.

"You know, I don't see how I'm supposed to believe in myself if _you_ don't even believe in me. How can I do my best if everything I do isn't up to scratch?" Pogue opened his mouth then shut it again, trying to sort out his emotions.

"Look, mate, I do believe in you... we all do. It's just... you have a past, Reid..."

"And that's exactly what it is: past!" he replied harshly, just as Ryanne leapt upon the easy target.

"If you're going to use past as an attack, then use _mine! _I'm the one who got knocked up when I was fourteen! I'm the one who didn't go to school! I'm the one who is familiar with weapons, cars and jail! Surely, out of the two of us, it's _me _you should be worrying about!"

"It _is_ you I'm worried about!" Pogue yelled back, frustrated that his good intentions were being completely seen the wrong way.

"You're still young, Ryanne! You've just started school in a new _country... _you've already got Addyson... and yes, you do have a past... you... aren't..."

"Aren't what? A good mother? Strong enough? Capable? Go on. What were you going to say Pogue?" Ryanne spat, stepping forward, away from Reid to stand between the two of them directly, her hand on her hips. Pogue sighed again, running another hand through his hair, trying to carefully pick his words.

"You got married only a few weeks ago. You're seventeen. You've already got a child. You've got a lot of emotional baggage that is only going to weigh that much more with another baby. You only buried Vesper a short while ago." Ryanne narrowed her eyes and stepped forward again.

"_Do not say her name," _she snarled, feeling betrayed and hurt by this seamless attack of her past, of _herself_. She had expected some objections to this, but this was just uncalled for.

"I'm sorry, but seriously Ryanne. Do you really know Reid? I trust you, mate, I really do, but this is a lot to take on at once. Can you handle a baby? Can you handle being a husband? Can you handle such commitment?" With his eyes secure on the simmering Reid, Pogue didn't see Ryanne's hand come to his face and slap him brutally across the jaw. His head turned from the power behind it, and brought a hand to his cheek in surprise, already feeling the sting.

"Don't you _dare,_" she hissed. "Don't you dare say that Reid is not good enough to be a father, not good enough to be a husband. At least he made the fucking commitment. More than you and _you _can say." Her eyes flickered to Caleb and back again, ignoring the heated look on his face.

"I didn't tell you to ask your permission, I told you so we could celebrate together. I'm having a _baby. _With someone you already know and trust – more or less. Would you rather it was... oh, I don't know, Aaron Abbott? Or some random sleaze of the street? Reid has already shown his worth. Maybe it's time for you to as well." With that, Ryanne stepped back and stormed past them all, climbing the stairs wearily.

Reid was left, opposite Pogue, no longer quite as physically furious. He eyed up his older brother, his older friend, and then shook his head.

"You know what, you may not believe in me, but I believed in you. But now I'm not so sure anymore." Reid shot the surrounding silent onlookers one last calm look before turning to follow his wife, his beautiful wife.

"Nicely done," Daniela chided, rolling her eyes before walking away. Tyler swallowed, then frowned at Caleb and Pogue, feeling almost cheated. He had always put so much conviction into the two of them, the two authoritive figures of the group, and now he found that he was asking himself why. He left too, accompanying his pregnant beloved up the stairs.

Then it was the two boys and their girlfriends left in the room. There was a still silence, a strange pause as they all tried to figure out how to break the thick aftermath of such an open feud.

Sarah was trying to listen to the small voice in her head that was telling her to agree with what her Caleb had done or been trying to do, but she couldn't shake the feeling that if she got pregnant, he would not approve. Which made her sad because she had been planning on asking him about children. Or even marriage. She wasn't looking into running through everything, but a little show of commitment, of responsibility would be nice.

Kate felt a bit put out about Ryanne's snide remark about Pogue not making commitment. They had made plenty commitment to each other. Just because they knew how to use protection didn't mean Pogue wasn't committed.

"Dude," Pogue muttered. "I was just trying to look out for her." Kate instantly twaddled over to him, putting an arm around his neck, her warm eyes caring for the one she loved. She wasn't a spiteful person, she was quite welcoming, but she was seeing it all from Pogue's point of view, and Ryanne was being a tad childish.

"I know, baby, I know," she cooed, kissing him gently. Pogue sighed, softly this time, and shook his head to clear it of the mess.

"Wanna check in at Nicky's?" he asked, and the other three nodded, happy to be relieved of the sudden tension that had taken over the once peaceful home.

* * *

Ryanne and Reid were lying on their bed in each other's arm, warm and content on the outside, warm and frustrated on the inside.

"I'm sorry," Ryanne whispered, brushing a kiss against Reid's beautiful face. He laughed gently, returning the gesture.

"So am I." Ryanne nodded, then laughed humourlessly at the situation. It just seemed like once everything was fine, strife just happened to jump up out the blue. It was repetitive, predictable, but so terribly inescapable, and they had to suffer through it each time.

Ryanne jumped when a knock sounded at their bedroom door, and Reid chuckled, a faded echo of his old smirk evident briefly on his face. He slid off the bed, leaving Ryanne to feel the chill pass over her, and opened the door. Ryanne watched as his face dropped within seconds.

"You knocked her up."

Ryanne pushed her head into the pillows behind her, grabbing one to slam over her face as she cried out to the heavens.

"_For crying out loud!" _

Jace shoved through into the room, barging past Reid who rolled his eyes and shut the door, telling himself firmly not to get too upset. Luckily for them Addyson wasn't in the room as Auntie Daniela and Uncle Tyler had taken her to be fed, but the walls weren't very thick.

"You got married, I accepted." Jace launched straight into his bitching, not even waiting for a cue. "You practically adopt my daughter, I let it go. You took Ryanne away from me, I followed her. But this, _this _is just taking the piss."

"No, you want to know what is taking the piss? You!" Ryanne snapped, sitting up in the bed. "We just had this argument about half an hour ago, so save me the de je vu and get over it!" Jace stopped, taking in her tone of voice which was a combination of exhaustion, anger and bitterness. Instead of yelling at the stupid jerk in front of him, he turned to his beautiful Ryanne, _his _beautiful Ryanne.

"Baby, please," he whispered. "Please, don't do this. So soon? Just... just wait. Please. Settle into this... life you have here. Just please don't go jumping so soon into things you can come back to. I don't want you to feel trapped by this sudden surge of the unexpected." When he saw Ryanne wasn't accepting his pleading, he dropped down onto his knees, placing his hands either side of her on the bed.

Reid hissed in a breath and Ryanne swallowed thickly.

"_Please, _sweetheart, please... I c-can't... I'm scared that you're going to take everything and anything that goes wrong as a self-inflicted accusation and I don't want you to have to go through that so soon and so unnecessarily. Please-" Ryanne turned away, pulling herself away.

"Stop," she whispered. "Stop it."

"Stop what?" Jace asked in pure confusion.

"Stop trying to be Reid. Stop trying to copy him in hopes that I will listen to you. Listen to what you're asking me Jace! You're asking me to give up my child, my son or daughter, just because you're afraid for me. Jace... I'm terrified of this, but I remember the miracle of holding Addyson when she was born, and I know this is going to be okay. I can do this, Jace, and so can Reid. I know that in my heart without a doubt. We're capable."

"But Ry'," he begged, and Reid pulled him to his feet, opening the door.

"Thanks for your concern but we don't need it," he said shortly and slammed the door in his face. Ryanne sighed and bit her lip, shaking her head at Reid who smiled stiffly. He then sat down on the bed, and his head dropped into his hands. Ryanne frowned, and slid over to him, starting to massage his shoulders.

"What's up, love?" she asked him. "Are you okay?"

"No." Ryanne was brought up short by his definite answer, but shook it off, using her thumbs and fingers to work out the tension in his shoulders and neck.

"Why?"

"Ryan... Ryanne... I got you pregnant... you're only seventeen..." Ryanne groaned, pulling away.

"Oh God, don't _you_ start," she whined, falling back onto the bed.

"But... it's _me... _I can't be a father... I'll hurt the baby, I'll break it... I won't know what to do..." His breaths were coming in short harsh gasps, his hands shaking as he looked down at them. The panic was clearing his head, making him really look at the situation he had gotten into: Reid Garwin couldn't be a dad, it wasn't... it just wasn't. His mother had told him often enough and it wasn't like he could follow in his own father's footsteps, because they would lead him to somewhere in another vacation with some whore. Somewhere he didn't want to be.

Ryanne heard the terror in his voice and froze, a nervous shiver scratching up her back. She edged towards him, trying to get a grip on herself so she could be the reassuring wife, calming down her husband. This wasn't entirely a role she was used to as a whole, but something she was learning to do ever since her wedding day.

"Reid, love, you can do this, I know you can. I know in my heart. You're already a father to Addyson, so imagine how great you'll do with your own child!"

"But... my own father..."

"Has showed you what _not _to do. Use his example to be the best father, which I know you can be." Reid just shook his head, his shoulders hunched, his gloved hands gripping at his white blonde hair. Ryanne felt her resolve start to crumble and she fumbled with it with clammy hands.

"Please, Reid," she whispered, ready to say more, but he stood up, brushing away her tentative hand. She swallowed, watching his stiff movements as he went to the window, leaning his arm against the wall to peer unseeingly out of the glass. It misted over with his warmth breath, but he didn't need to clear it, his sight not interpreting anything. He was looking into his own mind, pessimistically predicting his future.

"I can't do this," he stated firmly, already believing his own judgment, taking in everyone's doubt and disbelief, using it to fuel his self-hatred. Ryanne's eyes widened as her own future – which was once so bright and happy – was broken into shards before her very eyes.

"You told me you would never hurt me," Ryanne whispered, so low that Reid couldn't hear her over the thousands of accusing thoughts he had running through his head.

"I can't do this," he said again, straightening up. "I can't be a father... I don't know if I can even be a husband..." Tears started to prick Ryanne's eyes as she took in the depth of his words. He couldn't be a husband... he didn't want to be married to her, not anymore. He didn't want to be with her.

Reid strode to the door and opened it, pausing as Ryanne stumbled off the bed and fell towards him, tears already slipping down her pale face.

"Oh God, please don't," she sobbed. "Please don't leave me!" Reid stopped and looked down at her, but his cerulean eyes were glazed over, not quite seeing the young girl before him. He went to say something, then stopped, looking up again. His hand opened the door and he was out. It was only as he went to go down the stairs did he pause and regard Ryanne, his wife, his broken-hearted wife.

"Sorry."

* * *

It was Tyler who found her, lying in a heap on the floor, her occasional intakes of breath the only evidence that she was still alive. He fell to his knees, brushing her hair out of her face, frowning worriedly as he saw the makeup smears of fallen tears against her pale skin. It was her eyes that worried him the most: the usual bright mossy green was dull, sightless. She couldn't see Tyler kneeling before her. She saw nothing.

"Ryanne?" he said gently, shaking her shoulder, but she didn't stir. Didn't even blink. Tyler looked up into his brother's room, trying to see where the blonde was, but it was empty. It was early evening and it was coming into summer, so there was still warm light bouncing against the window, but none of it touched the dead room. Tyler shivered.

"Reid?" he called, wondering where he was. When there was no answer he felt fear fall through him: Reid wasn't there and Ryanne was lifeless. Something was dreadfully wrong.

"Daniela?" he then tried, and heard the footsteps of his beautiful love approaching, an expression of confusion on her face. She went to ask Tyler what he wanted, then spotted the redhead on the floor and immediately she started to run, sinking to the floor beside her.

"Ry? Ry!" she cried out, shaking her. This was so unexpected, something she never thought she would ever see again. Panic spread through her, trying to suss what to do, but nothing came to mind. So, she did the only thing she could think of.

"_Jace!" _The blonde had been lingering in a small, dark room in the floor below, but he heard the horrified cry easily and sprinted up the stairs, finding the trio within seconds. His heart thundered in his chest as he scrambled to Ryanne, turning her over to lie in his arms.

"Baby? Come on Ryanne, look at me darling," he coaxed, but she didn't move. All she could see was herself, alone, with two babies in her arms. He had left her, left _them_, all alone. He had promised her on the night of their wedding that he would never hurt her, never leave her, and she had trusted him. She trusted that he never would, that would always be there for her. She had brought down all her guards, all her instincts to believe him, to do something she had trained herself not to do. And as soon as she had, he had just thrown it in her face.

What could she do now? Stay in Ipswich? No, there was no point. It would remind her of him. And if he ever wanted to come back, he wouldn't want her there. It was his house, he had the right to claim for himself. For only himself.

Back to London? That was something she never wanted to do. Sure, Richard was no longer there, but it would be back to the same old life. She couldn't raise two children on the streets, no house, no education, no food, no money. They deserved a good life.

Where to then? She would need to get some money, though she didn't know how. Could she ask Wayne for some? He wouldn't approve of her leaving, neither would the others. Or, maybe they would. Pogue might protest, but would he really want it deep down? She knew Caleb and Kate didn't like her too much, not that she minded. She couldn't be liked by everyone. And everyone listened to Caleb. Without Reid to defend her, with him against her, it would be easy to persuade them to just make her leave. Go her own way.

Maybe she could find somewhere in Scotland or Ireland: Nael had a cousin or something somewhere up North, maybe she could stay there. Just for a while. Work until she got enough money to rent her own flat, and then go on from there.

This was really happening. Reid had really left her. No longer was she Ryanne Garwin. She was back to Ryanne Valentine. Or maybe, not even that since her mother was dead. Ryanne Parry? Nah. She had never considered it before. She could take Richard's name. Kind of seemed appropriate. Ryanne Turner. Maybe not even Ryanne. Ryan. No, Reid used to call her that. Change it completely. Paige. Paige Turner, single mother of two. Each with a different father, at the age of seventeen. God, what a whore.

So it was settled. Ryanne... Paige was leaving. Leaving this broken shell of a life. A life she had never really been accepted into. Her only hope had rejected her so now there was only one option left: to leave.

As the sun went down, weeping tears of rain to the land below, the trio of observers not knowing what to do with their broken, lifeless friend, the world acknowledged one thing.

Reid Garwin and Ryanne Valentine were no more.

Both had broken themselves and each other into an empty shell of dust.

With only Paige Turner filling the gap left behind.

* * *

Okay, I lied. This isn't a happy chapter ;)

Please take the poll on my profile and I would love to know where you guys want this story to go!

Love to you all!

**(L)**


	5. Bleeding Roses In My Hands

_**IMPORTANT A/N!**_

Hey all my lovely readers :) I apologise for my cruelness last chapter. I didn't entirely plan that out beforehand, but the more I thought about it, the more it works. It opens up everything that is going to come.

Quick question, one that is vital if you want there to be a next chapter – I'm bringing in a supernatural element to this, and usually, I wouldn't tell you this before (you know I'm all about the initial shock of things) but there is one thing I have to ask:

**Would you prefer me to revive good ol' ****Chase Collins****, the big bad of the film or would you like me to completely reinvent a ****new character****?**

I can work with either. I've already got Chase's character worked out, as well as new character(s) in place for that exact spot. It's up to you who goes through.

However, if you have something that's not quite one or the other (like, a character related to Chase, or a kind of coven/group of bad guys, or guys that aren't actually that bad, but have the wrong motives or whatever) then just drop me a review/PM whatever. I'd love to hear from you.

Also, I'll be introducing some new small characters: already got Molly, anyone else if you're interested but I can't warn you whether you will be good or bad! :)

By the way, just in case any of you had forgotten all the Sons are eighteen – they've all been through their ascensions now.

Okay, on with the chapter!

_.disclaimer._

Enjoy!

_**D**_resden _**L**_ace

* * *

**Bleeding Roses In My Hands**

* * *

He could still feel the magic.

It lingered in the air, drifting but not moving. He could taste it on his tongue: it tasted slightly bitter, metallic but with a strange sweetness to it, a sweetness that made the other flavours easier to taste, easier to live with.

Reid didn't know what had taken him to Putnam Barn. He hadn't meant to come. He had just arrived there. Probably because the last time he had felt so much panic and fear, it had taken place right in front of him, before the old barn became rubble.

He couldn't believe what he had just done. Ran away. Fucking_ ran away_. Left her, left Ryanne all by herself. He could still remember her face, sodden with tears though he hadn't seen it when he'd left. He knew what she would be thinking right then. That he had left her. Abandoned her. Just like that. He had knocked her up and ran away, just like the dickhead guy he was.

With a shout of fury, Reid let go of the pent up frustration inside him go, and a large sphere of pure energy pushed out of his chest and into the space before him. It disintegrated as it splintered against rubble and debris, until it bled out with a crackle.

"Pathetic," he muttered to himself, turning away from the dismal sight. He didn't know what to do with himself. He was too afraid to go back, afraid that Ryanne would be too hurt and angry to take him back into her arms, whereas he was afraid to leave anymore. He could already feel the pain in his chest and head as he distanced himself for too long.

"Pathetic," he murmured again, but he knew he couldn't do anything about it.

What he really needed to do was get his head around everything. Yes, he wanted to go back, hold Ryanne in his arms again, but that would mean facing up to being a father and he didn't know whether he could do that. Such strain, such responsibility... he was only eighteen.

Right then, he could completely understand Wayne's point of view on why he had done what he did all those years ago.

_God, _it was so stupid, Caleb and Pogue so up themselves. He couldn't bear to even look at Caleb's stupid condescending mug once more. And Pogue – now everyone knew how he felt about the situation and Reid in general.

Why did this have to happen? Why was it that suddenly no other girl looked attractive anymore? All he could see was the similarities and differences they had with Ryanne. _A redhead... but Ryanne's hair had the rich dark red... she's got a mouth that looks like Ryanne's... but the lips aren't as full... _

It was sickening.

At least, that's what it used to be. Now... now he couldn't find a better reason to exist. Because no matter what he did, _who _he did, it would always be Ryanne's face in his mind, her eyes he saw when he shut his own, her voice when he stopped to think, her body he wanted to hold as they slept, her heart he needed to look after his own dysfunctional children.

Children. Why had he never thought of it before? Of course he would need to have children. He was a Son of Ipswich and it was his duty to pass on the Garwin gene. He couldn't let it die out. And who better to mother his children than Ryanne, someone who had already proven to be a wonderful mother? He loved her so much it hurt just to stand there, away from her. He was addicted to her existence, a more powerful addiction than the Power running through his veins – not forgotten, but tamed due to his constant distraction – something that he had never prepared for. He had a lot of power inside of him, he knew: he had always welcomed the Power more than the other Sons, had always met it head on as often as possible. Of course, when he really saw how much Power he had in him, it had shocked him, scared him, forced him to go into a shaky withdrawal as he tried to combat the sudden sarcophagus that had encased his mind. Tyler had helped him through it, and Reid would be forever grateful.

Yet here he was, facing something that took hold of him more suddenly, more unexpectedly, more tightly and more powerfully than he could have ever predicted.

_What now?_

A question that had been tormenting him ever since he left the house.

He wanted to go back, _god, _he wanted to go back, but... would he be welcomed? Maybe... maybe he should just wait. Maybe Ryanne was glad of his riddance, maybe she had been waiting for this day. Maybe she would come to her senses and see what an idiot she was being for even contemplating being with him.

Reid hoped she did on one level, because otherwise he would return to her and never let her go. Never again. He would keep her safe, keep her close. Maybe he should try and keep her safe from him, stay away, leave, but he was selfish – and this way, he would know she was safe because she would be in his arms. He had the Power, he could protect her, and the others could too. But that meant she could never go. Even if that was what she wanted, he wouldn't be able to do it. He would follow her to the end of her days and then end his own.

So there he was. Waiting. Waiting for the moment that his heart had torn itself into pieces so small, it couldn't go any further. Until the moment that his own Power took him back to her to save itself dying out with him. Until the moment he was sure that if she wanted to, she would be gone, long gone.

And until that moment, he would stand there, on the remains of Putnam Barn, the last place where such an addicting power fought consumption and will. Until that moment, he would count the seconds, count the beats of his heart, count each breath of wind that kept him from his love.

He just hoped he wouldn't be a heartbeat too soon.

Ryanne just hoped he wouldn't be a heartbeat _too late._

* * *

She could hear them downstairs, whispering and murmuring to themselves. About her, obviously. What, these days, wasn't revolved around her? It was getting tiresome.

She had feigned drowsiness and a sudden desperation for sleep, though that was as far from the truth as it could be. Her entire body was awake, painfully alert of everything. Of rejection. Of hurt. Of bitter understanding.

And she couldn't sleep. She knew she wouldn't be able to in a long while. Instead, she would just have to run herself to exhaustion and plunge into the thick grave of slumber that held no dreams, no other existence until she awoke. For every time she shut her eyes, every time she blinked, he was there. There were two images of him: one was loving, peaceful, standing there before her as her groom, ready to take her hand. The other was from a few hours previous, his expression cold and distant. Unloving. Repulsed.

So now, Ryanne was throwing clothes into a bag as quietly as she could. Addyson was on the bed – not _their _bed, not anymore – talking to herself, occasionally looking up to her mother with curious eyes.

With minutes to spare, Ryanne crept down the hallway and down the stairs, making sure no one heard her. Then, as quietly as possible, she hid the bag next to the small cabinet by the front door, easily accessible.

Then, she walked – very slowly, grudgingly, as if she had just woken up and was still blissfully bewildered by everything – towards the occupied kitchen, stumbling into it with blurred eyes, holding her hand up to the bright overhead light. She cleared her throat and watched as the blonde woman turned around, her eyes surprised as she spotted the young redhead before her.

"Ryanne," she whispered, as if she already knew Ryanne's plan. "I thought you were sleeping."

"I was," Ryanne mumbled perfectly. "But I had a bad dream. And... they're t-talking about me and h-him... I don't want to see them." She dipped her head as Anna nodded understandingly and put down whatever she had been doing.

"I know... Ryanne, I knew I haven't been entirely... just, I'm sorry," she murmured, and pulled Ryanne into a tight hug, one she hadn't been expecting. After a few seconds of brief shock, she embraced the older woman with a desperate need for condolence.

"Thank you," she replied. "Thank you."

Anna took the girl by her hand and lead her to her study, sitting her down on the sofa. She smoothed down her red hair with a soft sad smile, her own eyes pained. She knew the feeling of abandonment, she knew the feeling of hurt. She did not pity nor blame this young child before her anymore.

"Ryanne..."

"I don't want to stay here." It was abrupt and Anna paused, considering this, then nodded. She too knew the relief in getting away, even if just for a moment.

"Please... just for a while... I just want to sort my head out. Please, Anna, please... please don't make me stay." She looked up to Anna with big mossy green eyes and the blonde sighed, shaking her head.

"Okay, but you will come back, won't you? I feel I never really appreciated the chance at having a beautiful daughter. Pogue is lovely, but it can be awfully lonely having a house full of boys." Ryanne smiled and nodded, glad this woman was helping her so easily. Of course, she had relied very heavily on Anna's own feeling towards her and the situation and was pleased – if not a little sad – that it was wokring out quite so well.

"Addy... she's upstairs..." she whispered and Anna immediately jumped up.

"Here, I'll take you to my car... the boys won't notice if I go for a quick shop, will they? Oh, and I must remember to go upstairs and ask you whether you need anything from the shops..." she winked deviously then pushed Ryanne gently towards the door, casually walking out with the redhead at her side. No one looked up an inch.

Minutes later they were speeding down towards the Library (which Anna forgot to notice was only two minutes from the small airport that was Ryanne's real destination) and was dropping her off outside the large doors.

"Just relax," she told her. "Read and..." she watched as Ryanne flinched at the ordinary word and grimaced from her negligence of carefulness.

"Just settle down and go over some books," she rephrased and Ryanne nodded, holding onto Addyson tightly, afraid to let her go.

"Thank you," she whispered, but Anna was already off, heading in the opposite direction she came.

Ryanne made sure she had truly gone before running to the airport. She had forgotten to take into account traffic and her plane left in forty minutes, having already booked it. She sprinted through the doors, careful not to jog Addyson or drop the bag draped across her arm, and was out of breath as she got her ticket, paying for it with some 'petty' cash Wayne had given her a few days back to go get something nice. Which she hadn't.

It was dark by the time she could collapse gratefully into the waiting lounge chair, sighing to herself. She hadn't allowed herself to think about what she was doing, and still refused to. She would save that for another time.

Seeing that she had a few minutes left before she would have to board the plane, she picked up her stuff and walked to the toilets, her hands shaking as she went. She was so focused on her own tightly sealed mind, she didn't see the person bump into her, and conveniently knock the bag out of her hands. It toppled to the floor with a thump and Ryanne sighed, barely hearing the apology from the other person. She glanced up, seeing their dull blue eyes first.

And that was the last thing she remembered.

* * *

Would do you think? Remember to tell me about the evil person! And give me your name if you would like to have a mention! Thanks!

**(L)**


	6. Shards Of A Broken Heart

Hey you lot :) Sorry about the long-ass wait. Didn't have any inspiration, what with piles of coursework before my mocks. Ugh. _Buuuut_, today was the last day, so now I'm free, and I thought I'd give our favourite four boys a visit. What d'ya think?

There are character images for the _Black Widows _on my profile, so go check them out.

_.disclaimer._

Enjoy!

_**D**_resden _**L**_ace

* * *

**Shards Of A Broken Heart**

* * *

Voices.

Echoing down a hallway.

Darkness.

Smothering from all sides.

Pain.

Leaking from her skull.

Death.

Lingering in the air.

They came back slowly, her senses. One by one: sound, smell, touch. She could even taste a vile bitterness in her mouth. Metallic. Familiar.

Her sight was the last to come, though when it did, she didn't even realise. Blackness was all around her, thick walls falling in, shadows and fear pushing in eagerly.

Ryanne groaned as the pain reached her, her senses putting together things she did not want to know.

She didn't know where she was. She didn't know how she got there. All she could remember were the dull blue eyes from that unknown person: a female, blonde, if she remembered correctly. The exact features were unclear in her mind: just a blur, just a frantic piece of a puzzle she couldn't work out.

What _was_ obvious was that she was in trouble.

But that didn't help anything. That knowledge was just something that made her panic. Not useful at all.

So, instead of panicking, she tried to quieten the sickening clenching of her stomach, and instead focus on the dim twittering of voices she could hear from a room somewhere close by. A thin slit of dim light was all that she could see, highlighting the lines of the floor tiles, the dust that blanketed it. From that light she assumed that she was in some room, a small room, possibly empty, maybe not. She was on the floor. Maybe that meant that this was not long-term; she would be moved somewhere else. Which meant opportunity for escape.

Ryanne hushed her observations and listened in to the conversation.

"It's just residue. A ligament to something much greater. That's what I need."

"How then? If you can't, how can we?"

"Patience, Tucker. There are some things in this world even I can't accomplish single-handedly. Only a few things, but there are some nonetheless. That is how you are going to help."

There was a deep sigh, one of quiet rage, one of patient anger. It was two men talking, the voices unfamiliar. The first thing that came to her head was Richard, maybe this some dark and twisted plan of his, but it couldn't be. If not Richard... then who?

Ryanne started to begrudgingly listen to her fear. If this was random and not planned, then she could be anywhere. _Any_where. The Sons didn't even know she had been taken... maybe they did now, but it was doubtful. Anna would think she was on a plane... or at her destination by now, depending on how long she had been lying there. It was very possible that right then, at that very moment, the Sons were with their parents and friends were just getting on with life, Reid living happily in his empty home, alone and single, just like he wanted. Free of the burden of love.

That thought depressed her more than the obvious danger she was in. For a split second she didn't care. For one tiny moment, she wanted to die. Wanted these people to just kill her and get it over with. Without Reid, living with the ultimate rejection, what was the point?

But then she thought of the tiny person inside of her. The beautiful baby she was carrying. A part of Reid that would always be hers no matter where he was.

And she knew then she had to survive this.

One way or the other.

* * *

"This is my fault."

Pogue let his head fall into his hands in despair, his long hair flowing down, covering his face. He felt like crying, and was appalled at that, but it just showed him how heavy this was weighing on his mind.

Ryanne had run away.

First Reid, now Ryanne.

Both of them _gone_.

And he knew it was his fault. If he hadn't had said those things to Reid to make him doubt himself, he wouldn't have gotten scared and run away. The blonde had somehow found a confidence Pogue had never been granted. A confidence he had always been too scared to claim.

And then he had ripped it all away with a few careless, heated words that had been twisted by his own rage. Words he couldn't take back, no matter how hard he tried. He had left countless messages on Reid's phone, but the blonde hadn't gotten back to him. Pogue couldn't blame him.

His own mother! She hadn't been entirely secretive about her little aid in her step-daughter's plan. Anna had quite easily pushed Ryanne out of the door, and Pogue felt such a strong betrayal towards her. Towards both of them really. For wanting to leave, and helping to leave.

Ryanne wasn't answering her phone either. It was switched off, and that scared him. He knew Reid could handle himself, but without the certainty that his little sister would have at least the protection of one Son, he was scared for her.

Of course, Anna assured him that she was with friends, with family, away where she should be. Dealing with her pain her own way. Away from the source; away to a fresh start.

Pogue desperately wanted his brother and sister to come back, to return home, but that was out of his control. All he could do, he told himself, was wait. Wait until they returned of their own accord.

Not of his.

* * *

The air crackled around him, sparks flying left and right. Fire, a deep fire, burrowed into his chest, into his mind, clawing as his senses, his heart.

He didn't know why.

He had just been standing there. Three days he had been standing there, waiting, counting heartbeats, letting his power take him over, get rid of his humanity. Just power. Nothing else. Thoughtless energy that had no mind, no emotion.

But then it had erupted. So violently, so suddenly, he had been scared. Truly terrified of what he could do, what he couldn't control.

It had rushed out of him, blasting through the rubble and debris around him until it all burned, until a thick black smoke whipped around him like the conflict he felt in his own head. He was left untouched in the middle, but unable to get out. Trapped by his own power. Trapped by his own actions.

And then it had suddenly dulled. The winds dissipated into the air, useless, harmless, bottomless. A dim slumber of the never-ending energy that had consumed him so viciously before. Again, he remained there. Stuck, frozen, despite his open escape. He was testing his own shields, his guards, his caution. Was this addiction? A fluctuating force that he couldn't control? He couldn't resist? He thought it would be sweeter in taste, something he thought he would like, because it would be _addicting_. A drug, an inescapable high that only lengthened the fall.

But not this. This was scaring him, and he didn't like it at all.

A few days later, it awoke. Stood up from its sleep, bright yet shady. Cautious but alert. Ready. Determined. Hopeless.

He couldn't understand it, but he welcomed his sudden awakening with his acceptance. This was a level he could deal with. Something that he could attempt to control.

But with the sudden spur of consciousness, also came knowledge. A terrible knowledge he had hoped he would never have to experience.

His heartbeats had run out.

It was time for him to leave.

* * *

She saw the footsteps before she heard them, and that unnerved her. If she hadn't been watching the horizontal shaft of light from underneath the door, she would never had noticed the approaching person, whoever they were.

As the door opened silently, Ryanne adjusted herself minutely so her hair fell over her face, covering her slitted eyes. They hurt against the light, and she saw nothing but a smudged silhouette against the doorway.

Slowly, the body came into view, and Ryanne saw a female: slender, tall, young. Crimson snaked up dark chocolate tresses, the dim light bounced off fair, smooth skin. She had on a short black dress, netting at the bottom, tight to the waist; leather leggings, lace up boots and an elbow-length glove on one hand. Her smile was the last to show: a deadly thing, venomous with glee. A dead smirk; beautiful and thirsting. Her eyes were still dark, invisible against the dull light. They looked like two empty sockets, frightening against her vampire grin.

"Hello, my sweet," the girl purred, her voice low but sly. Anticipating, happily anxious. Itching for something Ryanne was already afraid of.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" Ryanne swallowed, not sure whether to answer, and instead just stared up at the girl, not feigning sleep: it was obvious she was awake now by the way she was trembling.

A few seconds past, and the grin from the girl's face dropped, and in the next instant, a hand was in Ryanne's hair, pulling her up painfully. The girl was in front of Ryanne, grinning wickedly. Ryanne could see her eyes now: a dark blue in the left, a pale grey in the other. It was startling and made Ryanne gasp, surprised by this sudden proximity to an obviously dangerous stranger.

"Paige!" she breathed out. "My name's Paige!"

"Ah, Paige. Why didn't you say so? My name's Molly. It's a _pleasure _to meet you, sweetheart. I'm sure we're going to be _best_ friends."

Ryanne gasped again as Molly jerked her back, pushing her to the floor; she watched the brunette saunter out of the room, meeting two males Ryanne hadn't seen before, and still couldn't, due to their hovering away from the door. The light was behind them, hiding their faces from the distance, and Ryanne looked away, unnerved by the intense stares she could feel but not see.

As Molly shut the door and locked it, laughing the entire time, Ryanne let her mind wander, taking her into sleep. There was only one thing, one person on her mind.

And she was afraid that it would be in her mind he would stay.

* * *

Review? _Please_?

**(L)**


	7. Blood Stained Miracles

**PorcelainChaos; Thorn555; Enlighten; 4; addict-4-dramatics; babyshan211; hockeygrl125; ILuvOdie; mischieflover; Nixie002; PinkandGreenWhiteRedBlack07; silveringfinch; babeelove; .11; XwalkinthesunX; girllyingbythesea901; morance; BlackAngel-Cindy; SumPerson714; cragenarticjags-pandas; icyeyeddragon; bookworm125.**

Happy near year to you all :) Hope 2009 treats you well!

So, after uploading **Toys **(go check it out if you haven't read it yet – Jace's history), I got told to hurry up with this chapter. So here it is for you!

&& I've changed the picture of Kai - Wesley Snipes just wasn't doing it for me, I'm afraid. So I stole Rogue Johnston (I love his name!).

_.disclaimer._

Enjoy!

_**D**_resden _**L**_ace

* * *

**Blood Stained Miracles**

* * *

"_You don't know?!" _

Every window shattered, the sharp glass firing out of its cage like a rabid animal; it sprayed across the house, desperate to devour those who were unfortunate enough to stand in its way... but before it could reach its target, it hit an invisible wall and fell to the floor, defeated. Then, like attatched to spider web, it drew back to fall into place, regimented.

"Reid, calm down!" Caleb snapped, his own eyes fading back to the warm brown, letting the enslaving release on the power go with an inward shudder; Reid felt this, but couldn't find the will to copy the older Son's example, nor finding the pride to look up to the stupid leader like a lost child.

"Calm down?" he fumed. "_Calm down?_ Ryanne has _gone_ and you don't know where she is!" He was stood in the middle of the lounge, surrounded by the Sons, Wayne and Daniela. The surprise and relief at his return had been quickly pushed aside in Reid's anger which had provoked the others to pull up their own anger and vulnerability at his sudden exit and Ryanne's swift imitation. He hadn't explained why he left, just furiously demanded answers which no one answered. The more the denied any knowledge, the more desperately angry he became which inticed the rest to grow more mad also. It was a vicious circle that always waited on the cusp of the intense circle that was the incredible, invincible, _inexorable_ love.

"Like _you_ can talk," Daniela spat angrily, leaning against Tyler comfortably, contrasting with the bite in her voice; her hands were protective and gentle around the little dosing baby in her belly, Tyler's hands warm and strong over hers. Tyler kissed her neck softly, wondering whether to come to Reid's defence, but he too felt the need to scold his brother for the reckless move.

"_You're_ the one you fucking ran in the first place. _You're_ the one who pushed her out the fucking door."

Reid spun to glare at Daniela, but as soon as his onyx eyes caught hold of Daniela's, orbs so full of clarity, he couldn't find the pride to blurt out the automatic denial. It was true. He knew it was. If he hadn't left, hadn't smashed Ryanne's beautiful porcelain heart to broken bloodied shards, then she wouldn't have run away, right back into the old life he spent so long and fought so hard to get her out of.

Now it seemed like he hadn't even realised the biggest fight was still to come.

"Look, Reid, son," Wayne tried, his voice jumpy but careful. "Anna said something about Ireland – that she had a plan to get a plane and meet with some friends-"

"Who haven't seen her." Everyone turned as Jace stalked into the room, a cold fury on his face as he locked eyes on the rival blonde before him. His fists were tight, his muscles coiled, his rage on a careful spring, waiting for the moment to strike. His feet moved him in a semi-circle around Reid and he matched the maneouvre; it was like two enemies sizing each other up.

"I just called Nael who called his cousin – who Ryanne was going to stay with – and she hasn't arrived. They can't get a hold of her either. No one can. She's missing. _And it's your fucking fault!"_ He finally let go of his anger to shout the last part, moving forward to slam his fist in Reid's jaw. The blonde grunted as he went back, his hand coming up to cup his aching mouth. He had seen the attack, but hadn't the energy to block it. He deserved it anyway. No one flinched. No one moved to help Reid, just watched with an almost masochistic, sadistic relief that someone had finally done it.

"_What_?" Daniela gasped. "Have you checked the planes? Maybe it's just late in..." Even she cringed at the fearful desperation in her voice and moved closer to Tyler, hoping he would manage to focus her mind, like he always somehow managed to do. He was her solid plateau that never seemed to stumble. She could feel his heart beating, and it lulled her into a calmer state of mind.

"Don't be _ridiculous_. She left yesterday. I called the airport and the plane arrived on time. She didn't get the plane."

Pogue's eyes lit up with some slither of chance, some narrowed down information that he could use to his worried heart's content, use it as a distraction, something to give him hope when all else seemed to be shattered and torn down. The white light against the sudden darkness that was folding in on all sides.

"That means she's still here..."

"Oh yes, because the US is such an _small_ place!" Jace snapped, not taking his eyes of the main criminal in the room, the stupid pathetic scum that hurt his Ryanne. Jace swore to the high heavens that he would make the stupid fucker pay if it was the last thing he did on this Earth. He would not let one jackass stumble in and ruin everything he had managed to build for his family.

"Well, it's a start," Pogue replied quietly, not quite able to work up the anger at anyone else other than himself. Why did he blame himself? A few months ago, he wouldn't have cared. In fact, he would have been glad to be rid of his new half sister. Get the stupid girl out of his face. But he had fallen for it, that silly fairytale perfection; he had accepted her into his family, and then fallen in love with her as a sister. The sudden appearance of a life he knew nothing about, a different harshness to the one they all knew. A dark yet fresh change in their boring yet draining liftestyle.

Wayne took this pause in the... _conversation _to think through what needed to happen. He told his distraught audience that they needed to contact the police to claim her missing as it had been after twenty four hours, and that they needed to start finding a way to look for her themselves. Arguing and sniping at each other wasn't going to help – not that they were going to listen to him.

As the others broke up into their own pairs or independencies to gather their thoughts and ideas, Reid slipped outside and made his way down to the lake where he had caught Ryanne that time, the night that had sparked it all off. He couldn't believe it now. All he had to worry about was whether Ryanne would like him back or reject him, then how he would cover it up - most likely with a quick succession of a few ladies down at Nicky's - in order to hide his infatuation. But now... he was in love, something he never thought he would experience, at least not this young, and he had to wonder how he had managed it. Falling in love with some redhead chick that contradicted him and what he previously stood before. But he couldn't help. He loved her. And then he destroyed her. And then he destroyed himself.

It was a new moon and clouds had smoothed away the stars, the light gone. With his light gone, so was the world's. The greenery that was once bountiful and beautiful seemed dead and lifeless. The lake was cold and still, no breath to carress its surface. It was all so like his life that he wondered whether he was subconsciously Using to control the weather and enviroment, but he was lacking the addictive, uncontrollable bask in emotion that he knew was held in his heart but not in his head; so he knew he was not. It was just one of those infuriatingly coincidental moments in life, submerged and meandered in symbollism and lexical ponderings that seem to grasp so many inner thoughts and vocal verbifications that will never be understood.

"Oh, Ryan," he whispered, letting his fingertips smudge the surface of the lake. It was a mirror of his heart and the people around him, the waters moving to throw away his face, not wishing to hold his guilty image in its pure waters. He was a disgrace to man and nature alike. He was a failure to Ryanne and himself _alike. _

"Please just come back to me. You're my heart baby, and I'm finding it hard to go on without it."

* * *

Her scream shot through the room. No one moved.

It was like music to their ears.

As each drop of blood fell to the ground, Molly's vampire grin widened, a fervid ache in her eyes that would never be quenched. Her fingers reached out for the gash on Ryanne's head, but it was stopped by another.

Trojan looked down at Molly with a smile, one which Molly returned with a childish glint, that slight insanity that livened up any room. Dark-haired Trojan suddenly pulled up Molly, bringing her against him so he could stare in her eyes with an animalistic passion.

"Ahem," came a patronising cough. "Save that for the bedroom, kids."

Trojan groaned with anger, already feeling the need to murder as his worst enemy sauntered into the room, his persona much happier and more lively than he looked: his face was a gaunt pale, beads of sweat sticking to his forehead. His blue eyes were dull, lifeless, ridden with revenge. There was grey in his hair, a few wrinkles on his face and his hands shook when he held them out to stroke Molly's face. Trojan spat at him, jerking back his girlfriend out of reach from the _witch. _

"_Chase_."

Molly detached herself from Trojan to kneel down by the panting Ryanne, pulling the girl back by her hair, sniffing her neck, baring her teeth sadistically. She licked the redhead's neck, a deep laughter forming in the back of her throat that swiftly changed into a growl.

"_Paigey is awakey_," she sang, laughing at herself gleefully. Chase nodded, then moved next to a crimson haired girl, whose pale skin was littered with dried blood, something she did not wish to wash off.

"Hey baby," Devany drawled. "You're not supposed to be up."

"I wanted to see the livestock for myself. _Oh," _he moaned. "I'm so hungry."

"I bet you are, babe," Devany hissed, leaning against him, breathing into his face. "I can feel the lust already."

Ryanne was listening to their words, shivering where she lay broken. Blood had blinded her, and she kept as still as she could allow it, soft murmurs of pain passing against her purple lips. One hand rest on her stomach, trying to shield her unborn child from this pack of murderous hyenas; the other held her up against the floor, the grit burying itself in the cuts and welts on her flesh. There were tears in her eyes as she thought about what her little baby was going through. They had taken Addyson from her, plucked her straight from her arms, thrown her away.

"Do they know she's here?" Chase asked Devany, who shook her head slowly, a wicked grin etched on her rough lips.

"I think it's time we sent them a message, don't you?" Everyone laughed, Molly's the loudest and right in Ryanne's ear, her hand still holding back her head. The pain was thick now, not sharp.

"What first?" A slim brunette asked, fingering the Harpy knife in her belt. She was half doused in shadow, only her amber eyes bright. Her name was Dylan, and had been the one to stop Devany from slitting her throat a few hours ago (Ryanne had told the bitch to _fuck herself _when she had threatened Addyson)but hadn't hesitate to kick her in the stomach, making Ryanne cringe away and pray to the heavens her little baby was still alive.

"That is some sexy hair she's got," a blonde male said, leaning forward to pluck one of Ryanne's hairs out. He smelt it, then laughed, throwing it over his shoulder, grinning the entire time.

"You're right, Kris," Chase nodded. "But that's not fun, is it? And we can't exactly kill her... just yet. How about...?" Ryanne watched in horror as Chase's eyes bled to black, his face etched with a youthful excitement and lust over power as he yielded the same ability the Sons had.

"What's that?" Kris asked, and Chase walked forward, letting his eyes return to normal. He stroked the metal of a machine that had suddenly appeared.

"It will give us a picture of little Paige's baby in there." Ryanne looked up at the machine with wide eyes, frantically trying to figure out why Chase would want such a thing.

But then it left her mind as she realised Molly was grinning manically, the others slowly advancing towards her like a hungry pride of lions and she was the little doe in the middle. Just like fucking always.

"Like a perfect damsel in distress," Molly whispered as she stalked forward, crouched down. "How _delicious."_

* * *

It fluttered to the floor like a paper feather, laden with whispered secrets.

It was odd; no one had come to the door, it had just appeared, caught everyone's attention like a coveted embrace from an enemy uknown.

Reid slowly walked forward to pick up the package: it was a brown envelope with '_congratulations' _written on it in unfamiliar handwriting. Light, almost weightless, but it weighed heavy in Reid's heart.

Cautiously, carefully, Reid unfolded the flap and slid out the once-glossy piece of paper that was in it. On the back there was filth, dirty fingerprints, blood stains and tear drops. The corners were dog-eared, the edges rough.

Everyone watched, not breathing, as he turned it over.

It was a blue-scale photograph. Blood smeared across it, still wet; strands of red hair, a small photograph of a slumbering... or d..._no..._ and a small silver ring were taped to it. Scrawled across it, was the same unfamiliar handwriting that was no forever imprinted in Reid's mind.

_It's a girl._

* * *

Review? :)

Images are on my profile as well as the new oneshot (could be more) **Toys **for _IIYB._

**(L)**


	8. Life Through Death

**El Neneo; mischieflover; hockeygrl125; babyshan211; violi; itsfarfromnormal; megwood21; Zain-Azara; ally leigh**

Sorry for the huge ass wait guys! Totally my fault. I've had the time, I just haven't got into it, but with the help of the fabulous _PorcelainChaos_, I've written this chapter for you, my lovely readers and reviewers.

Also, I would like to thank the wonderful _MusicJunkie4_, whose name with the dots, for some reason, fanfiction doesn't like, so I'm giving her an extra big THANKS :)

_.disclaimer._

Enjoy!

**_D_**resden **_L_**ace

* * *

**Life Through Death**

* * *

"It can't be a girl."

"That's what the damn card said, Caleb," Tyler snapped, watching his best friend shake with anger and terror as he looked blindly out the window. Reid had the ultrasound in his trembling hands, unable to let it go in fear he would fall to the floor with it and never get back up again.

"A girl has never been born into the Covenant, Tyler!" Caleb replied heatedly, embarrassed and annoyed that _Baby Boy _wasn't sticking to his designated boundaries of being the youngest.

"Uh, _Ryanne?" _Tyler shot Caleb a bitter look, disappointed by his eagerness to just sweep the obvious danger under the carpet rather than address the situation at hand. He was too afraid of putting Sarah at risk... so he would sacrifice Ryanne instead? One love for another?

"That's not the same thing," Caleb argued, attempting to keep a cool head. "She's Pogue's half sister."

"And? She's still Wayne's daughter, so she's still a part of the Covenant."

"No." It was Wayne who had spoken, but it seemed as if he wished he had not. "No. Anna was the mother of the first born. Ryanne's mother had no role in the Covenant, so neither does Ryanne. She may not be a part of the Covenant... but she's still a part of the family. Whether it is a girl or not, something is obviously wrong."

As Caleb told Wayne that he knew that, but it was wiser to try and find out what was going on first before rushing into things, weapons raised, Reid just stood there, listening to them with disgust. They were bickering on whether to do something, whether the card was being _honest _or not. It was insulting – Ryanne could be getting tortured, baby Addyson getting hurt... and they wanted to go through the rules and regulations?

Who had her? Reid knew. He knew that it was someone who had known who Ryanne was, who he was, that she was pregnant with his child and that a few simple words would cut straight to his heart. That Ryanne being pregnant with a girl suddenly changed everything, that it was now no longer possible to even contemplate Ryanne's apparent kidnapping as a tragic human crime, but rather a supernatural blackmail. Who else would know to use an ultrasound when you couldn't even see Ryanne was pregnant?

But there was another reason he knew: she had vanished from his radar.

Before Reid had always somehow known where Ryanne was: usually, it was just a feeling, a constant sensation that she was there, but he could also tap into this inner map by Using and find out her precise location within a second. He didn't know why, he didn't know how – it hadn't been a sudden thing, but gradual. From the day he told Ryanne he loved her, her presence was more and more secure in his mind, and on the day of their wedding, he felt as if he had never been without it.

The only person he had told about this strange mental anomaly was Tyler in complete confidence, for fear that if he told Pogue or Caleb, they would get angry or tell him this was wrong, a sign that he wasn't in love with Ryanne. However, Tyler gladly informed Reid that he too felt this same sensation, and it calmed and pleased the two brothers of this similar experience – and reassured their love for the two girls.

But she was gone. Taken off his radar, the omnipresence of her existence vanished from his mind. And he tried to rectify this mishap, this disaster, but his power was blocked from her; he would try to Use and he could feel it start, but as soon as her face appeared in his mind, the power would disintegrate into nothing. Someone was blocking her from him.

She was lost.

And so was he.

* * *

They were watching her now.

All but two had gone: the one with her ever present sadistic grin, the other with a soft look of admiration in his dull, aged blue eyes.

"I don't appreciate being lied to," Chase commented lightly, almost as if to himself, his arms folded loosely across his chest.

"I don't appreciate being kidnapped," Ryanne whispered, ever so lightly, almost inaudible. She did not wish to face the wrath of two inhuman creatures, but habit refused to still her tongue.

"What did you twitter?" Molly breathed into Ryanne's ear, her hand tight in red hair, her appearance sudden, her movement from Chase to Ryanne unseen.

"N-nothing!" Ryanne gasped, unnerved... _terrified_ of this pair that held something much more than humanity within them. Inescapable power cannot surrender to a villainous heart.

"Didn't think so." Chase nodded to himself as he shifted forward, his steps stiff as if bones and joints were older than age should allow. There was a spark of discomfort and acidic confusion in his eyes, but he still stubbornly held his natural mischief on his once-boyish face.

"So Miss Turner... I assume that it _is _Miss now? Seeing as pretty boy Garwin dumped you? Or Ms, because it hasn't been finalised yet... you ran away before it could be. Funny how things work out. Or don't, as the case may be. Yet, I still cannot work out why the abrupt change of name. Did you not wish for pretty boy to find you? You walked right into my plan, didn't you? I have to say, you don't suit the name Paige... it's too usual for you I think; and you're not a very usual girl, are you? And Valentine did always go with the lovely red hair of yours, eh, Ryanne? Or, is it Ryan? Isn't that what pretty boy calls you?"

Ryanne stared up at this man, this thing of knowledge, memories and facts that such a person should not know; she had never met him before, none of her new family had spoken of this aged monster. How did he know any of this? Had Reid spoken to him? Maybe they were old friends... but old friends didn't kidnap old friend's wives. And there was a bitter tone to his voice behind his pleasant decorum: an aftertaste to his words that sounded wounded, angry and lusting for revenge. Maybe that was it: revenge. Something had happened... something the Sons did not wish to tell their new additions to the family tree, something that they thought had been fixed.

What would happen? Was it her death he wished for? Surely he would have done it already. Though, a longer death was more the tradition now these days... draw it out, make the pain of the significant other suffer all the more. Though, Ryanne was no longer so significant to Reid. Would he care?

She had to wish that he would, or there would be no hope. She had to wish that he could still care enough not to let her die, to save their child. He had walked out on them both, but surely that did not mean complete hatred. And he cared for Addyson, so maybe he would at least save Addy, even if not Ryanne.

Still some hope then.

Still some.

* * *

Death was open to debate.

Was someone dead because their body was gone? Or could the strength of a spirit keep the soul attached to Earth? If something was unfinished, the passion in their being too strong to be torn apart, could it remain in existence until time called it back once again to finish what it had started?

Was someone dead even though they were still breathing? Was the loss of a figurative heart the same as a hand ripping out the very same organ? Or was it subjective to a mental bandage that could let the blood clot, let the pain fall away?

Was someone dead because them being alive was too painful to think about? Did ridding them from your life mean that they had none themselves? Or could they walk right back in, living the life you wish had been taken from them?

Who decides whether you are dead?

The one who kills you, whether physically with a weapon of words; whether mentally, with a weapon of hate; or emotionally, with a weapon of love?

Or you? By filling your spirit with a strength that chains you to this world? By walking into a life that you were supposed to be locked out of? By getting over someone, by moving on, forgetting or ignoring a past love that did not reciprocate your feelings? Or by finding that love, that one thing you had done right in your life, refusing to let it slip away?

So, what controls death?

What _is_ death?

_Who_ is death?

Who is _dead?_

You?

Me?

Everyone?

_Nothing_.

* * *

How could four not conquer one? How could four out of five not vanquish the fifth? Surely it was just a case of mathematics? Four over one is more power, more ability and more strength.

Maybe it was because two of the four did not believe the fifth was alive. Maybe because two of the four were not fighting the fifth – rather, they were fighting the third and the fourth of the four, angry and sceptical of their callous disregard to one of the four's ability to kill the fifth.

But if four could not find the fifth, how could one kill the fifth? Again, pure mathematics.

But maybe, it was because all four were not trying to find the fifth, they were not trying to defeat the fifth – though they thought, _wished_ they were.

Four cannot beat the fifth when the fifth is what makes the four. Without the fifth they would not be the four, so how could they kill something they made them who and what they were? They weren't fighting the fifth, rather they were fighting themselves. How can you fight themselves when they are trying to fight the fifth?

Until the four acknowledged they were four because of the fifth, and together they were five, like how fate meant them to be, the four cannot defeat the fifth. The fifth knows this and is not looking for death of the four through the use of power – rather, get rid of the power and the four will no longer be the four, and he would be the fifth and the first with the power of the five. So, four must become five if they wish to be the four over the five.

See? Just a simple case of mathematics.

* * *

After you've worked that out, drop me a review please? :)

**( L )**


	9. Kiss The Rain

**El Neneo; Mrs Bass-Malfoy; mischieflover; hockeygrl125; ally leigh; MusicJunkie4; Zain-Azara; RANSAD88; ReidsGirl18; poplar-kat.**

I'm trying to move this chapter as fast as I possibly can, because _a_) I know I've got a habit of rambling, and _b_) PorcelainChaos has been reminding me of the plotline we had already created, and that this would just be sidetracking it a little bit and _c_) I've been told to include more action ;) which I totally agree with. Due to the quickened pace of it (for me!) I haven't gone into a lot of detail about the whole Power thing, but I am more than happy to explain it to you if you ask via review or PM.

So here it is.

_.disclaimer._

Enjoy!

_**D**_resden _**L**_ace

* * *

**Kiss The Rain**

* * *

It wasn't exactly a ransom, but that's not to say he didn't want something from them.

So, it wasn't the most conventional kidnapping from most people's point of view, but fool on them if they underestimate the intelligence of the plan and the one behind it all. Each moment, each movement had been decided months before hand, every breath, every word carefully mapped out – Chase was not taking any chances with this one, no longer using the creativity of improvisation to attack the Sons. No – he had done his research, he knew what the Sons were lacking in their knowledge, their acceptance of their being. Until then, Chase would be forever in the advantage, alone or not.

"You're telling them our location?! Are you mad? Or just suicidal? Because if that's it, then I'd be quite happy to rip your heart out from where you stand!" Trojan too believed the plan to be flawed, not trusting the masterpiece of Chase's mind.

"No, I'm not suicidal at all. If I was, I wouldn't have Used so much power to keep me alive after my first little tiff with the Sons. No Trojan – I want to bring them to me; after all, I am the one in control here, not them... nor you."

Molly cackled viciously, dancing from Trojan's tattooed arms to Chase's weakened ones, baring her teeth victoriously, ecstatic she had been purchased into this after all. When she had been first told about this mission from one previously unheard of, she had been reluctant, albeit uncaring, to travel across planes and realities to land herself into what had been seen as a reckless and random revenge. It was only when her friend Eden joined the group did she persuade her lover Trojan to join as well. The promise of blood was high – paid through pain and death, rather than money. And Trojan did enjoy the idea of cutting new maggot holes into the bellies of his victims.

It had been Devany who Chase had appreciated the most, the infamous Empusa known through her brazen lust for blood and the destruction of hope. She had a vast intelligence on men and their silly thoughts, and had proven to be a great success in helping Chase pinpoint what to do next and keep the men at bay. Of course, her part – as well as the other females – were not entirely over yet, though Chase had yet to decide whether to go through with it.

The others were a mere yet ingenious mix of dark elves, harpies, shadow warriors and evil paranormal creatures who seek the living to kill in order to live themselves. They pride in their work and their craft and are renowned with their strategic and inventive means of hunting and killing their prey. Together they make up the Black Widows, a mystic faction to help Chase gain what he so dearly covets.

But now they were getting restless with Chase's inability to share his thoughts and decisions, instead opting to give out commands that he expected them to undertake with a smile on their face. It was only Molly and Devany who still showed any affection with the greying Son, though their motives were neither logical nor rational, rather programmed into their genetics.

Chase would have to be careful, for the plot of a revolt was being weaved through unspoken words, the desire to overthrow a potentially betraying leader. As of yet, they had been forbidden to spill the blood of their only victim, and the death of the Sons would not come about by slicing or stabbing, rather through a will of untouchable power.

Ryanne herself didn't understand the logic of Chase, though she was sensible enough not to doubt the ability of this twisted man who wished so hard for her beloved and family to perish. There was little conversation, but still her mind struggled to take in the words that held so much depth to them, the thick hood pulled over her head obscuring the speech almost beyond recognition.

Her hands and feet were tied and there was no movement to her body. She was slipping between awake and unconsciousness, the constant ache of pain now spread so much that there was no particular agony but within in her mind. As her body struggled to lull her into a dreamless, fearful sleep, her mind would catch the screams and sobs of her broken child, whose eyes had not seen light nor love for days.

"Please," she whispered, her voice thick with blood that had yet to be spilt. "Please, just let me see my daughter."

There was a silence that was more prominent than the lack of speaking before; she could feel their stares, some like fire, others like ice, each lacing into her skin like a too tourniquet against her ribs.

A foot pressed against her side, but Ryanne felt no immediate pain, her senses too dim to register a violent kick. Instead she just huffed out her stale breath, and was pushed to the side, her hands and feet sprawled together across the filthy flooring.

"Shut your mouth!" a man snarled, and Ryanne felt tears fall from her eyes: it was only then that she was glad for the hood that was smothering against her face, for now the beasts could not see the falling hope that she was trying so hard to keep a secret.

"Be patient," Chase called to them all. "The prize draws ever near, and with the death of the Sons comes the death of innocence. If even such a thing exists."

The group fell into a silence once more, each to their own, together but separate in mind and spirit. They held the vengeance of destruction in their callous hands, the shadow of the heart of humankind veiled by societies and civilisations. All it took was one thought, one word planted into someone's mind, and it would tear and nag away at them until there was nothing left but their true nature.

And that was the darkest thing of all.

Molly stood between Chase and Ryanne, a smile on her lips, her pretty eyes bright and honest. The others watched her, though they saw nothing. And in the silence, she sang, the words of an old folksong dancing from her voice, striking the night quiet with a beautiful blade.

"_Home is behind, the world ahead,_

_And there are many paths to tread._

_Through shadow to the edge of night,_

_Until the stars are all alight._

_Mist and shadows, cloud and shade,_

_All shall fade, all shall fade."_

* * *

Reid couldn't believe it.

He couldn't believe that the sick bastard would try a second time to get into the mind of the Sons, and this time through Ryanne. They had all Ascended, each one of them received their full powers, so what was he thinking? Even with his father's power, Chase couldn't take on four Sons, especially when Caleb had twice as much power because _his _father had willed his to his son as well.

So what was the point? Did he just want to get back at the Sons? So why just Ryanne? Surely Sarah, Kate and Daniela would have been taken too? And Daniela was pregnant as well. It didn't make sense. If Chase really wanted to hit the boys hard, then taking only one Son's wife wasn't going to bring each one down.

But the _nerve. _

How Chase could think he could get away with doing something like that. Did he have a death wish? Was this some form of masochistic suicide? He had pulled himself from apparent death to stride straight into a certainty of murder.

Because Reid would. He would take the stupid _fifth _and kill him right there. There would be no remorse, no looking back, no second thoughts. He would smile as the life of the evil fucker bled out before his very eyes.

And he would laugh.

* * *

"Reid!"

The blonde spun around and ran to where Tyler was standing with Daniela beside him; she looked constantly worried now, a permanent grimace of pain that hadn't once left ever since that envelope first appeared. Her hands never left her still-flat stomach as if she felt Chase would turn up any minute to try and snatch her away.

She wasn't the only one who thought like that. Tyler was refusing to leave her side in case Chase decided to carry on with his trend of taking pregnant partners of the Sons. Pogue and Caleb too were fussing over Kate and Sarah respectively, but Reid doubted they were in as much danger as Daniela, though it was still there. But they weren't pregnant. And Chase had already gone after Sarah and Kate, which hadn't worked. There was something important here, something linked. Reid seriously didn't believe that it was pure coincidence Chase turned up only a few days after Ryanne announced she was pregnant, and then Reid... left.

"Tyler?"

The brunette was holding another piece of paper, this time still glossy. Reid's heart stalled for a minute as he snatched it out of Tyler's hands: on it was written – in that same damn handwriting that would be eternal on Reid's mind – a few short words.

_Memories, dear memories. And to think it's named after me._

Reid stared at it, confused. What did that even mean? Memories? And what was named after him? Chase? That boy had a fucking God complex.

"What?" he spat, desperately glaring at the words in the hope the real meaning will spill over the ink from the heat of his gaze. Tyler swallowed thickly, glancing down at Daniela uncertainly; he then met Reid's eyes. He saw the incurable pain that was there, the inescapable guilt that tormented the Son every second of every minute of his life. Tyler knew that to some extent. He had felt that same pain when he was running towards the abandoned factory, seeing that _man_ on top of Daniela... Tyler shuddered, hurriedly refocusing his thoughts for fear of losing control.

"I think..." he began uncertainly, trying to piece it all together in his mind. "I'm not sure, but I think he might be telling us where he is... or where he wants to meet us at least." Reid's head snapped up, staring at Tyler, wishing he could see the truth behind his brother's eyes just as clear. There was a clarity that he couldn't find in himself, albeit nervous to make rash assumptions. Reid knew Tyler was honest, but he couldn't gain the same confidence the brunette could. Such things were beyond him now.

"How?" Daniela asked, enlightened by the hope of knowing where Ryanne could be. She didn't know who had her, other than a name: she didn't know that the man was capable of many inextricably demonic things; that he would stop at nothing to destroy the Sons and all those who were dear to them. All Daniela cared about was what she knew and had known her entire life: that Ryanne was more than a sister to her, that Addyson was like her own, and that they made up everything she was today. Without them, it would be like a part of heart missing: even Tyler couldn't make up for it all.

"Well, _memories _may mean something that he – or we – have memories of. So, something that involves us that's happened in the past. And _named after me _means that it has same link to Chase's name."

"And? Tell me, Tyler, tell me!" Reid demanded harshly, gripping the boy by his shoulders painfully; yet Tyler didn't wince, for his own inner conflict was drowning out the mild ache on his skin.

"There were a few places that involved Chase, but he and Caleb did have one final battle. And Chase is descended from the fifth bloodline of the Covenant."

Reid paused, seeing it all fold into one neat location, and then a black rage passed across his eyes. He had been there. He had been at the damn place for ages, just standing there. That was why he had been drawn there: all the power of the Covenant was linked, a permanent bond that shall exist as long as there are bodies to hold it. Reid had been able to sense the magic that was in the air, but was stupid enough to wonder why. A lingering sense of power that had twisted into his own subconscious; a serrated rise and fall of intensity that had overwhelmed him for so long. Ryanne. Her presence always affected his power, gravitating towards her like a planet around the radiant sun. The rubble and mess of what was once the Putnam Barn signified the mirage that had played on old memories and expectations. Magic didn't linger. It didn't wait. It bled into the most able being, fermenting into an inescapable connection that forever bound power to love. She had been nearby, Chase there, and he had turned away, allowed the guise to fool his stupid heart. He had stood on the ground, watching her pretty face and hadn't even known it.

"Putnam Barn."

* * *

"Let go of me!"

A hand was tied in her hair, pushing her forwards through doors and hallways, leading her to the outside. Her feet dragged, catching on tiles as the grip shoved her across a threshold; her hands fled up to smack onto the hard floor, charred grass and charcoaled wood littered disastrously everywhere.

It was dark, the moon high in the sky. Stars were dotted on the dark void, the ink from the smooth ivory dancing against the soft clouds. The air was crisp but thick of something Ryanne didn't recognise. There a sweet metallic taste on her lips, an unfamiliar flavour.

As footsteps approached her, Ryanne flipped onto her back, staring up at the greying man before her. There was an eagerness in his eyes she didn't understand. He knelt down and caressed her face softly, smiling at her happily. She shivered. There was a sincerity in his face that scared her. Determination. A genuine belief that what he was doing was right. She felt sick.

"Oh baby," he whispered. "I can't wait till I have it all. Beautiful; I can sense it now, feel it." He laughed and stood, shuffling over to Molly who was stood beside Trojan; she had on her usual vampire grin, and was licking blood from her fingers. Trojan was nuzzling her neck, his hands clamped tightly against her waist.

"What are you going to do to me?" Ryanne dared to ask, voice shaking. Chase turned to smile at her happily once more.

"Oh, no my Valentine, it's what I'm going to do to your baby there." Ryanne's eyes widened and she put her hands protectively over her stomach, though she knew it would do nothing to stall the mad man before her and all his devilish crew. Molly laughed loudly while the others just watched.

"But I'm going to need the Sons here too if I'm gonna steal that much power. Of course, they won't know they'll be helping me kill your child. How beautifully ironic. And it's a girl! I couldn't believe it. It's as if fate just wanted this to happen."

"You won't touch my baby!" Ryanne spat, anger overwhelming her fear for the briefest of moments. Chase laughed at the maternal instinct of the young girl before him.

"Oh, my dear, who said it'll be the baby I'll be touching? Now, I need the rest of you to help me set up a secure perimeter. Molly, watch _Paige._" Everyone turned and walked away as Ryanne sat there, shivering in horror as Molly skipped up to her, sliding to her knees joyously.

Ryanne could see her more clearly now: thick crimson was on her face and hair, staining her pale skin. Her eyes were the same: one blue, one grey, but now they were more clear, focused and prominent. Her fingers came up to stroke Ryanne's face, smiling as she smeared scarlet against her cheeks. Ryanne flinched at the contact but didn't turn away, fearing she would upset the unpredictable thing.

"What's happening?" she whispered, and Molly scrunched up her nose, licking more blood off her own hands.

"Chasey is getting old, see, and doesn't want to. You're gonna help him stop getting old, see?"

"No, not really," Ryanne muttered, hugging her knees to her chest. She wished she had never run away, though she doubted that Chase would have been mollified by that at all.

"But Chasey needs your friends to help get enough power to stop him aging, see? So that's why he's told them where you are."

"He's _what?" _she gasped, sudden hope sparking inside her. Molly nodded, continuing to lick away the blood on her hands, getting more and more relaxed as she did so.

"Told them where you are. They'll be coming now, I'm mightily positive of it." Ryanne smiled despite herself, knowing that help was on the way. They could beat Chase, couldn't they? But... could they beat _all_ of Chase's people? And Reid.... what of him? Ryanne couldn't have being hurt... then maybe them coming was entirely a good idea after all.

"How can they possibly help Chase?" Ryanne asked Molly, who seemed perfectly content on telling the redhead information, the blood on her fingers engaging her full attention. And anyway, it wasn't like Chase was one to keep secrets.

"Well, their power is divided by four plus one, right? So, if they all come together that'll means lots and lotties of Covenant hotties creating one big ball of power, see? From which Chasey can take that power to weave his ickle bickle mind into yours and your wee tot."

"So what? What will that mean?" Molly sighed, annoyed that Ryanne was being so _slow. _If she could understand it, then why not the silly redhead? It was basically shameful.

"The power of an unborn Covenant boy is very very versatile and raw. Like, it hasn't had the chance to do its thing yet. So, it's one big ball of power and baby cells in your belly there, sugarplum. _But _it's protected by daddykin's power, _so _Chasey needs all the Covenant power to snatch it right out of you, see? Then he will have the raw power that will stop him aging and he shall be young for all of his days. All they have to do is embrace the power, and the Sons will do that easily: they will try to Use to kill Chase, and with that emotion in them they shall call it all up. And la de da, there we have it."

Ryanne shook, imagining it all play out before her very own eyes. Could Chase really do that? Surely the Sons would know that something was happening and stop it... even Reid must want to stop his child from dying.

"Oh look," Molly crooned, finally turning her head away from the drying blood. She looked into the dark where Ryanne couldn't see and laughed, speaking in a singing voice.

"_They're here!" _

People. Everywhere. Powerful people.

Reid could sense them slinking through the shadows, aching with each pulse of the hidden night. They were eager, lusting for blood to be spilt. He heard the sound of a blade being turned against something, the soft whisper of metal the only noise.

Reid felt the rising of power and turned to see Caleb beside him, eyes blacker than the sky above. He didn't want to be here, afraid of his girlfriend left behind, but it wasn't Sarah who was the target this time.

"I can feel him," the leader whispered. "It's so much stronger when you tap into your power." Reid took this as permission – not that he needed it – and summoned up the fired ebony; it bled through his eyes comfortably and it felt as if he had been holding his breath, but now he could breathe again properly.

"Yes," Reid murmured. "There he is." He could feel it in his mind, a target of power, a pinpoint location of the fifth, lurking in the shadows. Reid wanted to transport himself straight there, but knew that would only ruin the careful plans Caleb had constructed.

There was a sudden laughter, a booming sound that took over everyone's thoughts.

"Didn't take you long, did it?" Chase asked the crowd. "Clever boys – I bet it was the baby who figured it out." Tyler glared at the darkness, his fists tight from restraint. There was a cool sweat on his brow, a shiver in his mind.

"Get out here, Chase," Caleb demanded fiercely, letting the power rush through his veins like a drug. "Get out here like a man."

"Oh, entirely so. Of course. But first, like a host, I'd like to introduce you to my darling friends."

Six people stepped from the gloom, three males and three females. A woman with blood-red hair stalked forwards to stand before Reid, tilting her head to one side. Blood poured from her mouth like the oxygen from her lungs. Reid suppressed a gag from the smell.

She reached out a hand and Reid snatched it, digging his nails into the soft flesh of her wrist. The woman tried to pull it back but Reid was borrowing strength from his power and his anger. He tugged her to his face, watching as she grinned merrily, sadistically.

"Where is she?" he spat; the woman shrugged. Reid brought his other hand up to smack her across the face; she stumbled out of his tight embrace only to laugh viciously.

"Oh, you really shouldn't have done that," a male said from behind. "Now she's gonna get pissed."

Reid looked at the tall blonde who was grinning at him with an expectant look; so he didn't see the clawed hand fly towards his face. Tyler went to push his brother out the way, but the claws caught Reid on the face too soon, throwing his head to the left. Tricklets of blood meandered down his alabaster face, the cool air stinging. He cursed, bringing up a hand to tenderly poke the wound whilst glaring at the woman. She threw her head back and laughed; with super fast movements, she curled her body up and spun like a ballerina, only to throw out her leg straight into Caleb's abdomen. He gasped and crumpled, falling back. Pogue caught and steadied his friend, his brother.

"This is getting increasingly boring," a young blonde female said loftily.

"Shut up you stupid bitch!" Reid snarled at the woman, rage shaking through his bones. He and Tyler went to push past the group, but the male who had spoken from before grabbed Reid's arm and swung him around, throwing his clenched fist straight into Reid's jaw. He jerked back, pain exploded briefly; he swore loud, then throw back the male into the blonde with one quick brush of his power. Tyler Used to drag the redhead chick to the side, throwing his foot into her face. Blood spurted up from her nose and he smiled grimly.

Pogue and Caleb darted into the fray as the others joined in, baring weapons and inhuman speed and strength. It was hard to keep a control on the power, the temptation of Using just building beyond recognition. It replaced their blood, boiling with vitality and strength.

Reid rejoiced it.

Tyler welcomed it.

Pogue restrained it.

Caleb feared it.

* * *

Molly had gone, but where, Ryanne didn't know.

Now it was just Chase and her, left alone a dank segment of garden. His fingers crawled up her leg like rotting insects; Ryanne flinched at the contact, trying to pull her leg away from him. Chase grabbed her ankle and pulled her towards him: she swallowed as she peered up into his face, his body oppressive over hers.

"I never really thought of having a wife," he informed her casually, as if commenting on the weather. Ryanne said nothing.

"Not that I wouldn't want to fall in love, but I never thought about it. But seeing you, I think maybe I should."

"...What?"

Chase adjusted himself so he could slide a hand underneath her waist, his legs holding hers down. Ryanne whimpered, staring up at him like he was the pinnacle of evil and hatred. Chase loved the sound, and stroked her cheek just to hear it again.

"Having my own child... how lovely," he sighed. "I really would like my own child. After I've taken yours, of course. And who a better contestant, eh?"

Ryanne felt as if she were detached from her body as Chase's lips darted across her throat, his teeth sharp against the skin. She flinched in horror and repulsion as his hand went on her hip, scraping his nails into the flesh. He groaned; she gagged.

And then Chase was gone, the absence of his body startling. Ryanne blinked, afraid it was just her mind playing tricks, but he was gone, really gone. She raised herself up onto her elbows to see a tall blonde standing before her, breathing heavily, blood dripping from an unseen wound.

"_Stay away from her." _

Ryanne's heart skipped, the realisation that Reid was really stood before her almost too beautiful to comprehend. Despite the situation, a smile danced across her lips, her fingers itching to reach out and grab his hand.

"Reid," Chase drawled as he picked himself up, dusting off debris from where he had hit the wall. He looked around as if expecting people, mockingly gesturing to where Reid stood alone.

"Where are your bitches?" he asked. Reid merely growled, a human approximation, shivering from the desire to slaughter the man before him. A knife wound from his shoulder wept crimson, the blood taking a careful ballet down his arm and dripped from his fingers.

His eyes were _blue_.

"How dare you," Reid whispered, his voice so dark, so low, Ryanne shivered from it, turning her head from the black passion. She ached for Addyson, her baby, and feared for the young girl, who she had not seen for days too long.

"How dare you touch Ryanne, take her away from me. How dare you even look at Addyson, an innocent _child. _You will never hurt my family again," Reid told Chase, who seemed slightly put off by this lack of Using.

"Oh, dear boy," he snarled back. "Like you can do anything to me." His own eyes turned black and he threw a power sphere at the blonde. Reid did nothing but let his instincts take over: his eyes flourished ebony, and the sphere disintegrated into the mist. His eyes dropped the mask and Chase looked deep into the ice blue.

"What?" he muttered, unnerved that this was not a contest of power, rather of revenge and belief. "But, you're supposed to Use... you can't _not _Use..."

"Who says?" Reid smiled. Chase frowned. And then Reid was on him, shoving the aging teenager back into the wall which collapsed from their weight. Ryanne watched as the two of them slammed into the ground below, the gravel crunching painfully.

Reid threw a bloodied fist into Chase's face, feeling the bone crunch with such clear clarity. He smiled. Chase kicked him off, raking his nails down the blonde's back, grunting in victory as Reid hissed in pain.

Neither of them were Using, the learned instinct forgotten, instead relying on emotion and strength to beat the other. Plans were forgotten, only vendettas vexing their minds now.

Tyler scrambled into the room, eyes wide and furious, face bruised and cut. He had a screaming baby in his arms, and Ryanne cried from the sheer miracle that was he passed to her.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you."

Reid no longer knew whose blood was on his face, in his hair; he pulled Chase back down to the floor, grabbing at a loose brick to throw into his kneecaps. Chase yelled out from the pain as he tried to rip Reid's blonde hair from his head. Neither of them saw the dark haired girl watching them from the shadows, dry blood scratching at her fingers, the seventh and last Black Widow. This was what they had wanted: they didn't care about leadership, but sustenance. Blood was being spilled, and that was better than any amount of loyalty. Molly remained in the shadows, glad of the death.

Finally Reid got a hold of the boy, and held him down, throwing punch after punch into his face and stomach, no longer feeling any human pity for the thing beneath him. Chase tried to throw Reid off him, but his strength was quickly falling.

And as he tried to conjure the power to Use and just kill the blonde, he found that his mind was too slippery to grasp anything. It was like a block, one he had never met before. Because one of the Sons had rejected the Use of power, Chase's entire plan of using the doorway all four Sons would create by Using had now crumbled away. There was a new atmosphere, one of expectancy, of acceptance of the Power, of what it was.

And then Reid's hands were on Chase's throat, squeezing and crunching as the bones broke, the blood fell from the lips and the oxygen suffocated away. Chase squirmed and struggled, but Reid didn't let go, holding on for his life, for Ryanne's life, for love. He refused to let Chase get back up ever again.

_Die._

This was the only way that he could make sure that Chase would remain dead. When Caleb had tried, Using had just not cut it. He had come back. But Reid wouldn't let it happen again.

_Die. _

Chase had nearly taken Ryanne away from him, killed her and his baby. And he had nearly let it happen. He couldn't even think about what would have been left if he had lost Ryanne, because there would have been nothing left.

_Die. _

And now, as he stared down into the dull blue eyes of Chase Collins, the descendant of the Fifth, there was no remorse, no guilt that he was killing someone with his own hands. There was only a relief, a sincerity that this was necessary. How many people would Chase have killed once he had killed Ryanne? Daniela? Sarah? Kate? The Sons? Everyone who stood in his way? But not anymore. Reid was discarding the strength of the power, for the strength of his own heart, of his own hands. He may be some kind of witch, magical being, but he was still human. And humans wish to survive. So they must remove any threat that endangers that survival. That was what Reid was doing. Surviving. And he needed Ryanne to survive. So Chase needed to go.

_Dead._

Review? ;)

**(L)**

* * *


	10. Our Suicide Hearts

**hockeygrl125; mischieflover; avidswimmer09; ILuvOdie; PorcelainChaos; ally leigh; simply me 11; briansamanda; barbara potter-cullen; MusicJunkie4; yankeebecky; sexaykidd; poplar-kat**

Okay. I totally suck. I know I do. I'm incredibly sorry! I took my time, didn't I? The Sons just were refusing to cooperate. But they're on their way back now: I can feel the stuf flowing.

_.disclaimer._

Enjoy!

**_D_**resden **_L_**ace

* * *

Our Suicide Hearts

* * *

She wanted to go back. She wanted to go back to how it used to be more than _anything_. To act like it never happened. She wanted them to be same people they had been before everything got fucked. It had been perfection; they had been happy, with no backlash, no consequences, no eggshells.

But she couldn't.

None of them could. They were stuck. It _had _happened and they couldn't get away from that. They were forced to walk the lines of the repercussions of fate, a path no one wished to take. They couldn't turn back now, not even if they wanted to. It was a turn of life that was necessary – without it, they may have never become who they there meant to be. But it still hurt and it still put everything out of focus. All the angst, all the hurt, all the anger that had been subdued – it was all back again. Every doubt, every fear, every irritation, every protest: they all were up in the air.

Forgiveness and understanding. They were vital to relieve the tension. They had to let go of grudges – both external and internal – and just _hope_. The worst was gone, the physicality of it all long past. The first hurdle was cleared; now it left the emotional, the mental... to make sense of something nonsensical, to see the logic in something with no rationality. To accept and believe that it was okay, that it will be okay.

Of course, she had already forgiven him. Perhaps she had always forgiven him, right from the very start, or maybe she forgave him the second that she realised he had come for her. Though, it didn't mean she wasn't hurt by his actions, that she wasn't angry that he went back on _everything_ he had every promised her. That he had let his fear, his confusion take over him. That he had _run away _from her and their child, just because he couldn't face the music.

But then, she would remember all the times she had run away with her tail between her legs, because she was too self-pitying to step up and do what needed to be done. She had let her own pathetic "woe is me" attitude affect her in every walk of life. But now... now she was fed up of it. She hated how it was always her that was used as bait, as the damsel in distress. She couldn't stop it from happening, no, but maybe, just maybe, she could be an ally – she wanted to _help_ her husband, her family, not be a burden for them. The latest disaster had only strengthened her determination: she hated how she had to sit there, tied and gagged, hearing her daughter cry, but could only wait for some hero to turn up out of the blue. She wanted to be able to help herself. To be someone her children could look up at for safety and comfort.

"Ryanne?"

She jumped, startled at the sound of Daniela's voice in her absorbed reverie. The brunette watched with a smile as the redhead composed herself. Ryanne gestured for her friend to come in and the two lay down side by side on the large bed in comfortable silence. Ryanne had shared her feelings and thoughts with Daniel before, and was surprised to hear that she agreed whole heartedly. Both of them knew that now they were pregnant, they would be in more danger when it came to Covenant enemies (though, in reality, how many could they possibly have?) and were determined to try and counter that.

"Where's Reid?" Daniela asked. Ryanne turned on her side to look at her friend with a thoughtful gaze. The brunette followed suit.

"Downstairs with Addy. He has barely left her alone ever since we got back. Bless him."

"And you?"

"Oh, Caleb and Pogue fixed up me in no time at all. I'm fine. Right as rain. I just wish Reid could see that."

"He's looking for deeper pains, you know that."

"Yeah, I do. I just... I don't know. He blames himself and I know how destructive that can be. We just need to get past this all."

"Can we? Ry', you were kidnapped, your baby nearly killed, all so Chase could kill the Sons. It's not just some casual tiff they had."

"I know, Ri', I get that... but I can't keep living like this! We left London to get away from the darkness, the constant self-loathing we all seemed to possess. I wanted to be happy for myself, _about _myself – Reid did that for me. Before all this shit, we would smile for _real. _And I know you did too, Ri', so don't even deny it. Can you really carry on with the entire family not being able to look one another in the eye? Do you want Tyler and Reid and the rest to stumble around us like we're about to combust from our sheer incapability?"

Daniela sighed. It was true: she felt exactly the same. Ever since they had gotten back, Tyler had done nothing but mollycoddle her: if she went to get up to get a drink, he would dart up, rush to get one for her so she wouldn't have to. Hell, if he could, Tyler would try to _pee _for her. It was ridiculous and quite degrading. It came from a good place, she knew, but still... she wanted it to stop.

"How do we do that? How can we persuade them that everything's okay? I mean... is it okay?" It was Ryanne's time to sigh. She had asked herself this question a hundred times.

"No. It's not okay – look at what happened. In our list of shittiest things to ever happen to us, yeah, it's pretty high up at the top. But hell, Ri'... I'm totally _sick _of having a fucking list in the first place, y'know? Okay, yeah, I'm terrified that Reid didn't kill Chace but I'm terrified that he _did _kill him. I don't want to be terrified. I want to be a teenager. A wife. A person. Screw all the bullshit, I just want to live."

"So do all the other six point six billion people. Doesn't mean they can."

* * *

Tyler watched as Reid stared down at his hands with an apathetic look on his face. He swallowed.

"Don't do a Daniela on me, will you?" he asked the blonde. "I don't think I can sit in the shower with _you_ to soap you down."

Reid laughed, a deep robust sound that seemed out of place in the dull kitchen. He could feel the stares, the aching gazes of those around him. He had killed someone, murdered them in cold blood without a second thought. There were people in prison that were just like him. Sure, he did it out of defence, but does that justify a murder?

Not that he needed to justify it. Anytime he would feel sick about what his own hands, his own brain had done, the truth of the situation would slap in the face. Chase wasn't a normal person. He wasn't a good person. He was a murderer, a thief, a liar... he didn't deserve life when so many people did. Chase was going to kill his wife, his baby, his family. Caleb had killed the bastard before, thrown him back in a fiery pit of magic. Was it any different because he had used his own hands to do it?

It shouldn't be, but somehow, the looks of those around him made him feel like it was.

"You did a brave thing," Tyler murmured; he was the only one that sat with his companion, that didn't allow the tension to scare him away. Reid would have done the same thing for him, he knew it.

"Yes," Reid replied, neither sarcastic nor honest. Tyler sighed.

"Look, Reid, you _know _you did nothing wrong. In fact, you did everything _right."_

"Yes."

"Then why are you still sat here, staring at your hands like your Lady Macbeth?"

Reid tutted to himself, asking the same question in his own head. While the others thought he was wallowing in his own self-hatred, he knew that the skin on his hands was clean and fresh. There was no blood, no dirt, no guilt, no remorse. He knew that. But what he was really scared of, was what Ryanne would see on his hands. Would she see the blood of a human being? Would she see the murder of a living creature residing in the troughs of his skin?

"She's okay, you know. Daniela's up there now with her. I walked past... she is worried about you." Reid sighed and let his hands drop. His eyes floated to Addyson who was playing with some Lego bricks by his feet. Every so often she would turn to him, holding up something she had made with beautiful pride in her eyes. It made him smile so wide.

"I should talk to her," he whispered and Tyler nodded. Without another word, Reid got to his feet and marched up the stairs, not unaware that this would be first time he had entered the bedroom since he left.

* * *

Daniela was gone and Reid was in her place. Silence was bestowed on them.

But they were talking. With their eyes, words were thrown back and forth in a silent symphony. Their hands touched, eyes staring with such intensity, it felt as if the room was alight with their fire.

They wanted each other -they _needed_ each other.

Mind. Body. Soul.

Reid's lips were wet from the amount of times he licked them, a nervous yet anticipating habit he had required ever since he fell in love with Ryanne. His thumbs were rubbing back and forth against her soft skin, a gentle smile at her lips. She had never thought, but there it was, a spark of perfection that she yearned for. It wasn't itself in its entirety, but it was still there, still tangible.

Slowly, she moved forward in a way that suggested she didn't even know she was doing it. Reid felt her closeness, her warmth. His lips brushed against her neck, making her shiver. Her nails dug into his chest, his fingers grasping at the fabric of his shirt.

"_Sorry_," he whispered. "_So sorry..."_

She said nothing, but instead took him in a kiss, sweet and soft, but powerful with force. His eyes were hooded as his hands moved to sweep up her hair in his fist, knotting his fingers in the thick dark locks.

Without speaking, he told her that he had _never _wanted to leave. His life started and ended in her heart, in her eyes, and to step away from that was like depriving a man of water, of oxygen, of the sunrise and the night sky. Ryanne breathed against his lips in response, already knowing this to be true. It was there in his touch, in his kiss, in his eyes.

Maybe later she would doubt the pure sincerity of his silent words, but at that moment, there was nothing more full of truth in the entire world. There, in his arms, she felt so secure. So safe. Everything that had happened didn't matter, didn't exist: the pages of history were burned, thrown away to rot into dust. She didn't care - for that moment, she didn't care about anything.

"_Oh God," _she whispered, the warm words soft against Reid's mouth. "_Oh God." _He could feel her tremble and he gathered her in his arms, tight and secure. He pressed his face into her red locks, inhaling deeply like each hair was made of his very own drug; it stung his veins like a beautiful fire. He kissed her neck, savouring the taste of her soft skin – it was something he could never live without. Not anymore.

_I'll never leave you, _they told each other.

_I love you, _they whispered.

_Forever, _they promised.

As they basked in the brilliance that was the other, holding each other, their lips heated and full against the other. Reid held her silky hair in his hands, softly tugging at it as she moaned quietly into his neck, his chest. He would capture her lips in a tender kiss, their tongues brushing against one another. They were revelling in the peace they had finally been granted, the freedom of passion they could use to their advantage. Behind every movement was a panic, a fear that they would be disturbed and they would never be able to return to it.

But for the time being, they allowed themselves to just _be. _To be the normal couple they always wanted to be, fuelled by that supernatural fire that echoed in every rushed breath. They loved each other, and it's at times like these, when love is involved, that nothing else matters.

* * *

Review?

You can bitch and whine about how it took me _ages _to upload a chapter that is incredibly short.

**(L)**


	11. A Greying Crystal Ball

**Today We Die**

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thank you to the 20 favourites, 5 alerts, 10 reviews - all done even though i haven't updated in bloody ages. i do apologise, i really do.

i have gotten some lovely reviews recently which really egged me on to continue writing, and i'm back in the mood once more.

oh and if you happen to flick through the old chapters to reaquaint yourselves, then you might notice the chapters nearer the start have a different format (same format to this chapter) and have been edited (hopefully for the better) with details fixed and any errors i spotted changed - i hope it makes it better for you to read and i will be finishing the editing over the next few weeks.

oh and i've got a _Twilight fanfiction_ up if you like that sort of thing - it's got a doomsday kind of plot.

**anyway!**

it's all starting to kick off again now.

_.disclaimer._

enjoy.

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_**d**resden_

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**A Greying Crystal Ball

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You can't get rid of fear. You can face it, you can admit it, you can ignore it, but it will never go away. It's natural, it's instinct, it's vital. It's just like pain: it's necessary to live. A restriction to ensure survival. Nothing more, nothing less. But just because you can't get rid of it, doesn't mean you should embrace it. It doesn't mean that you should revolve everything you do around it; neither fear nor pain is important enough to dictate every second of every minute. It shouldn't be a bully, nor should it be a friend: it should be a scary-looking elder brandishing a stick that you listen to with trepidation. Once you know how to act and react with fear (and pain) it makes them both bearable. It's laughable at the simplicity of it all, really.

Unfortunately, life didn't work that way... and neither did the Sons.

They had been taken by surprise and it had scared them. It had angered them. The culprit was supposedly dead, but he'd been dead before, right? They couldn't trust anything anymore. Left, right and centre they were accusing people. A loud noise would make Caleb leap up, a shadow would make Pogue prepare to attack, a hooded face would make Tyler throw himself into the Power, and a stranger would make Reid smash every damn piece of glass in the vicinity.

"This is fucking ridiculous!" Anna stormed into the kitchen where her new dining table was in pieces on the stone floor; her blonde hair billowed out behind her as she marched up to her son, smacking him around the head. "Pull yourself together! You, all of you, need to stop acting like a bunch of ten-year-old girls and grow some God-damn balls!" she screeched, throwing her purse down onto the counter, glaring at the four boys before her. It was the third time that week that something new and expensive had been totally destroyed because a door had shut or a wind had ruffled the curtains.

"Mum! We _do_ have balls! How did we know that it was just the wind? It could have been Chase or something to kill Ryan' or kidnap Tyler!" Reid whined, his fist hitting the counter in his defiance. The other Sons nodded in agreement, all of them defensive and sulking. They knew how hormonal they were being with their Power, but they refused to back down. Ego and all.

"Tell them Ryan'!" Reid called, using his puppy-eyes to plead with his wife to jump to his defence... but she just folded her arms, scowling.

"Don't you start with me," she snapped. "Anna is right. You're all acting like toddlers and it is really getting on our nerves. Fucking get over it! I am not giving birth to this baby when you might accidently throw a chair at her if she scares you." Daniela nodded in agreement, frowning at Tyler who grinned sheepishly. She shook her head, rolling her eyes at them all.

"And don't you dare try and say that it's to protect us," she added. "Yesterday I came home from shopping and suddenly a vase was being levitated towards my face. You guys are just pussies, that's all. You got your pride hurt and are trying to make up for it. Do us all a favour and _grow up_."

With that, Anna, Ryanne and Daniela pivoted and left the room, walking into the living room, grumbling about the Sons as they went. The four were left alone together, hands in their pockets, scuffing their feet along the floor. They had been told off - just like when they were kids - and they were quite aware about how stupid they were all being. And no, it wasn't entirely to protect their Mrs because all of them had accidentally seen their beloved as a threat at some point.

They were just going to have to do something mankind isn't very apt at doing: move on. Or, what with all their sudden Using, they would be in Zimmer frames by Monday.

* * *

A week later, the whole group was standing outside Spencer Academy, feeling very anticlimactic. A few months ago, Spencer was something to worry about: school work, swim team, rumours - now all of it seemed worthless of their care. When death and disaster was a prime event in their lives, adolescence and the shift into adulthood was very infantile. It was so... quiet... so... so God-damn boring. What the hell did x=5 have anything to do with life? The teachings of Shakespeare didn't help them survive this meandering impromptu cavalcade that qualified as 'living'. The Civil War didn't tell them how to control the Power.

So why were they here? Because it was fucking easy.

And they deserved easy, didn't they? After all the fucking difficulty that had been thrown at them, surely some pure and simple easy wasn't too much to ask? ... Except it was. For them. It made them _uneasy_ being so easy. See what that did? When before there had only been shouting, but now there was only smiles, it made every noise sound like a scream - and that wasn't helping their edgy paranoia. So what then? Go back home. And do what? Sit there. Waiting. For what? Hope? Happiness? Simplicity? But they didn't want that... my God, it was like some evil vicious circle. Was there any way of getting over this?

Memory flitted, flickered, unstable and unforgiving; days smudged into seconds, and no one could understand how time was moving forwards... or was it backwards? All they knew was that at one point, they were here, and then at another point, they were there. It was disorientating but it felt okay to them, so they managed. They were very quiet. Pondering in this new preamble to something much bigger... but significantly smaller too. They couldn't guess, but they knew it was there - happiness and peace was not a solid thing for them. It moved on, it all moved on. And there would always be another hurdle, a separate obstacle. Could they climb it? Who knew.

What would it be this time, one wonders. They didn't know whether it would be ... good... or bad. Were they such different oppositions? Were they merely negative space to one another, moving and overtaking in such a way that it was impossible for one to reign without the other obsolete? Or was it a necessary balance that they were chained to keep steady, even though that task itself was unbalanced? There was bias in life, no matter whether fate or destiny had any part of it. There was this, and there was that. Two things, separate and distinct, but so inextricably entwined that it wasn't possible to see them apart.

History. That's what it was. It was all about history. Fable, legend, myth. Stories. Fiction, fantasy, the supernatural. They lived and breathed it, so it made sense that it would also come to stall them. Right?

Was it fair? That was a loaded question if I've ever heard one. No one knew the answer, because there wasn't a right one - or an unbiased one. Of course, to the Sons, (the ... Daughters?), it was not fair. But to history, it was. It was... tradition. Meant to be and unforgivable to ignore. Unheard of. Impossible.

The word impossible is thrown around so often these days, it's usually seen as a mere over-exaggeration, an exclamation of indignation. Was anything really impossible? Surely impossible just meant that it hadn't been done yet.

Maybe these Daughters would be the first to make the impossible possible.

Or maybe it was truly impossible after all.

It was history they were fighting against, but soon enough, history was all they will be.

* * *

It was quite enjoyable, Ryanne thought, to watch the Sons run around while she and Daniela sat there, quite comfortably, a large glass of ice tea in hand. Being pampered was quite a pleasant experience.

"You know, I'm going to look forward to these next nine months," the redhead said, earning a nod in agreement. "We should do this more often."

"Uh, I think I might stick to a spa next time. We can't just keep popping out tots each time we want the boys to run around for us!" Daniela laughed. "I think I'll leave the whole baby thing for a bit after this kid comes a knockin'." Ryanne shrugged, imagining holding a teeny little person in her arms, all squidgy and cute. Addyson had left the cutesy baby stage and was firmly in her terrible twos. She had an attitude that child. A new baby would make her feel all... happy again. She was too damn maternal for her own good.

"Do you need anything? No? You sure? Do you need your pillow fluffed? I'll do it for you if you want. You sure?"

"God, yes Reid, I'm sure, thank you," she laughed, pecking him on his flushed cheeks. His hair was all in a disarray, his eyes wide, his lips plump from being chewed all the time by his teeth. Ryanne shook her head, laughing again at the sight of him all sweet and panicky. It was adorable.

The afternoon passed, the family sitting together in comfortable peace, chatting happily and contently, enjoying each other's company. There was no rivalry, no unhappiness, no bitterness. For once in a very long time, there was just frivolous joy and nothing more.

Yes. It was all good.

* * *

There are no chance occurrences, so sudden changes of tradition. Things happen for a reason and as long as that reason exists, they keep on happening. It doesn't matter whether it isn't agreed with or people don't know of it, it will still keep on happening.

You see, there aren't any 'coincidences'. There aren't any 'turns of fate' nor is anything 'random'. You hear of it all the time, don't you? Stories about the one and only, the first time for everything, the person who lucked out, the one exception to the rule... but there aren't any. No one can escape the rules.

From the first day, that first happy day, everything was set in motion. It all built up, like Lego bricks, forming what it had formed every single time before that. Innocence, love, honesty or justice had no meaning here. Genetics – tradition – didn't have bias really, though many would disagree. It just happened that way. It had always happened that way and would carry on to happen that way until the end of time.

Like grains of sand packed together, it would hold on for as long as possible, creating this beautiful structure that instils hope and faith in those who see it. But, no matter how amazing or strong it may be, the tide will come in and tear it down. You can't fight it, no one can. It's just genetics.

I'm telling you now, everything happens for a reason.

And for whatever the reason, girls just aren't born into the Covenant.

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_please review? i will reply, honest._


	12. The Heart is Just Shaped Candy

**Today We Die**

*****

**EDIT****!**This chapter has been edited by my fantastic beta** MusicJunkie4 **so thank her for that.

_.disclaimer._

enjoy!

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**_dresden._**

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It struck, unmovable and destroying. At first, she didn't even know what it was, her body reacting before her brain could even register it. Her hands swept across the table, fingers too sweaty to hold onto anything; her legs crumbled beneath her, the clothes basket tumbling to the stone floor but she didn't even notice. Then her brain felt the pain, bright, sticky and hot. She pressed her hands against her protruding stomach, her fingertips massaging the burning flesh. In her mind she imagined electrical shocks, travelling through her cells, turning them black and she watched them die. The pain of watching their death, for some reason, blocked out her physical pain, though she wasn't entirely sure why.

"Ryan'? Ryan'!" Oh, she hadn't even realised Reid had come in… had she screamed? She didn't know… maybe it was instinct taking over, the subconscious reactions that had kept her alive for so long. But there he was, pale and panicked, strong digits on her face, desperate to work out what the hell was happening now.

"What's going on?" Pogue raced to the door, falling into a crouch to inspect his little sister's agony, though he had no idea what he was looking for. He sensed the others rush up behind him and turned to glance at Caleb who looked as confused as ever. No one knew what was happening, though there was a flicker of suspect in their eyes… but he was dead. Wasn't he?

"What's going on?!" Reid yelled at no one in particular, his vagueness allowing anyone to swoop in with the answer. Ryanne attempted an answer, but she could fit words into her mouth, her speech failing as her mind writhed from the torment inside of her. All she knew was that something was happening to their baby, their beautiful little, innocent, vulnerable baby; she could almost hear her screams as this pain consumed them both.

"I… I thought this might happen," Wayne whispered, turning his eyes away. He was too ashamed, too scared, too deeply sad to realise that his fears had indeed come true. Everyone's eyes were on him now, he could feel it, but he couldn't look up and face their accusations, nor could he grant any false hope.

"What? You knew this was going to happen?" Pogue glared at his father, unbelieving that he could still manage to fuck up even now. "Well? What's happening?"

"It's… it's the baby." Finally, Reid looked up, frantic.

"What about her?"

"That's just it…." Wayne sighed, briefly meeting the blonde's iced eyes, and so the hurt there, the love. He didn't want to be the one to have to tell him this… but surely, surely he should have known, deep down. They had been taught the rules when they had been children, it said it clearly in the Book of Damnation. So why hadn't they thought to check, or even remembered their lessons from long ago? Wayne sighed. He knew why. No one had wanted to even ponder over the possibility that Reid and his redhead wife wouldn't get the happy ending they so desperately deserved. It was only Wayne who had read through the details of the old book, a sly fear snaking up his chest as he caught a sight of those faded words, those that told him about the heritage of the Power. A female couldn't pass on the Power, it was strictly impossible. Maybe he should have said something earlier… but where would that have got him? Reid wouldn't have accepted it, and it would just caused them to look for a non-existent remedy. Maybe… just maybe, this was the simplest route after all.

"No one is an exception to the rule, Reid," he reminded him lowly. "No one. Not even Ryanne… not even your daughter."

* * *

Wish and dream all you want, but the stories aren't real. You know all those pretty, special ones about the one. That one girl, be it a twin, or a little baby sister, is born into the Covenant, and it's a miracle, a dream-come-true… and then everyone gets on with their lives.

Well, it doesn't happen. It never has and never will.

Of course, that doesn't stop baby girls from being conceived; even the Power can't dictate fertilisation. The embryo grows and develops, like any other, until it gets the stage where it is able to receive the Power. This strength and magic evolves with the embryo, as part of it, and then embraces the new unborn child when the time is right, just a few weeks before birth, when the baby is strong enough to take on the Power… except… females never are. Females aren't genetically equipped to take on the Power; it just kills the cells inside of strengthening them. And that's it. Nothing can be done.

The baby girl dies.

So, forget the stories, myths, and happy-go-lucky tales. There's no miraculous exception. Tradition has to continue, and I'm sorry, but this is what tradition means. Ryanne isn't going to suddenly give birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl.

Instead, she's going to be rushed to the hospital with her blonde husband, screaming out in pain as the Power ripped through her body, destroying her darling baby girl. Her hands will grip at Reid's, pleading for him to do something, but even his black eyes won't prevent her pain, their tragedy. Ryanne would cry and sob and scream, the pain simmering away through the night while the anger and sadness grew, overtaking her thoughts, her entire existence. She knew, in her heart, that this was her fate. No pleading or magic could change genetics.

She still gave birth. That was probably the most shocking part of it all. They had to go through all the conventions of having a baby, but get none of the reward. As the doctors took the… her body away, everybody was silent, too afraid to disturb the sick silence that had overtaken the entire family.

The Covenant watched as Reid slid into the bed, and took his sweaty, pale, distraught and depressed wife into his arms and held her so tightly, afraid that they would fall apart if he didn't. Ryanne threw her head onto his shoulder, buried her face into his neck, and sobbed. The tears came and came, almost seeming too natural to be truly upset.

Together they cried for the death of their happiness, the death of their innocence, the death of their peace, the death of their faith, and, finally, for the death of their poor, darling, beautiful baby girl.

* * *

Time passed, like it does.

Except it seemed so very still. She spent so much of her time there, but it never seemed to move. It was static, empty and cold. The trees didn't move, their leaves silent in their sadness. The wind kept low, creeping around her. Time seemed to just leave her out.

It was a small, simplistic white stone. A gentle swoop of marble, sweet and sound. Smoothly engraved lettering whispered her name, golden and perfect, never to be said aloud or called out in a classroom.

This was it.

Everything had ended.

There was nothing left.

Nothing.

She was gone.

_Adelyn_.

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Review?


	13. Death Application

**Today We Die**

_*_

Thanks for my fantastic beta **MusicJunkie4 **for editing this!

Okay, for some reason, fanfiction really doesn't want the titles in the centre. So, while it will piss my perfectionism off, we'll all have to deal.

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**_dresden._**

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**Death Application**

**_Penultimate_**

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The house was quiet and empty. The distinct taste of bitterness painted the walls, seeping through the rooms. It was early evening, the sun beginning it's slow decline into the horizon, the moon already bright and ethereal in the bruising sky.

Ryanne was alone by choice. The others had begged her to come, to join the family gathering, but she had point-blank refused. The selfishness stung, but her mind had spoken before she had even paused to consider the option. Though, while one part of her mind was in disdain over the self-centred refusal, she couldn't ignore the genuine feeling of relief. She loved Daniela, she truly did, but watching her give birth to a _healthy _baby boy would just destroy her.

It wasn't the first time she had been alone, since the... since then. It also wasn't the first time she had selfishly put her own pain first, and locked herself away. She didn't speak to her husband anymore, except to scream at him. Everyone else tried to avoid her, unwilling to be the next victim of Ryanne's sensitive wrath. She was scathing, bitchy, cutting and completely devastated. Of course, everyone understood why she was acting like this, and no one blamed her... but it wasn't easy to put up with anymore. It was simpler just to leave her to it.

Daniela had tried to help her through it, to make peace. But, in the end, it was so hard for Ryanne to even glance at her beautifully swollen belly, her maternity clothes making her look like an angel, the days blurring together until she finally became a mother. Despite the tragedy of the loss of Adelyn, no one could hold back the excitement of having the first born arrive into the Covenant... That was another thing that hurt Ryanne. Not one person, bar herself, counted Addyson as the first child of the Covenant, or even _part_ of the Covenant. She was just the extra child, the girl that Ryanne managed to produce a few years ago.

Adelyn would have been the first born. Instead, it was Mason Simms that would be taking the title.

Ryanne didn't talk to Reid for three days after Adelyn died. Instead, she just sat, unmoving, emotionless, staring out the grey window for hours on end. Whether it rained, snowed, shone, or a bomb dropped outside that window, she had no idea. She didn't see. She just sat and stared. Reid tried to communicate but when she failed to respond he just sat too, staring at her, staring at his hands, staring out the window. On the third day, he cracked, unable to take the silence anymore. The guilt was overwhelming him; he had to speak.

"You blame me, don't you?" He waited, and waited, and waited. Ryanne had heard him, but said nothing. His eyes watched the soft silhouette of her cheek bones, his breath catching as her head slowly started to lower, confirming his question.

It was so selfish of her, to allow him to think she blamed him. Of course, she wasn't entirely lying. She did blame him – him, and the entire Covenant. Why should her daughter get to die, just so Daniela's baby _boy _got to live? It wasn't fair. None of this was fair. What did Adelyn do to the fucking Power? Nothing. She wasn't even nine months. How could something so tiny, so pure, so innocent be judged just for being a certain gender? It wasn't _fair._

Reid got up and left, without a word. He couldn't stand being in the room, while his own wife blamed him for the death of his unborn, _dead _child. Though, he didn't blame her either. In fact, he agreed with her, but her confirmation of his self-loathing brought out a black rage, a dark hatred that grabbed hold of him so fiercely, that his eyes immediately bled into ebony.

Ryanne didn't relent her stationary sitting. If she didn't move, she didn't feel. She didn't think. She just stared, and it was easy. It was better than having to face up to the reality. Days passed, but she couldn't count them. Like the clouds she watched, they just blurred into one entity, a mask that hid the vast blue of the sky from her until she was ready to face it.

Just then, her phone vibrated, the screen lighting up to signify the birth of beautiful baby boy Mason Simms. First born. Male. Alive and healthy.

And that was why Ryanne was at home, alone in her misery.

Slowly, shakily, Ryanne made her way to Addyson's room, where her slumbering daughter lay peacefully in her crib. Reid had been taking care of her since that day. Ryanne just couldn't manage to handle fussing over Addyson, while her other daughter lay buried in the ground. Anytime she went to pick up the toddler, she just panicked and had to leave, retreating back to her seat at the window.

Addyson. Adelyn. Names that were too similar, but represented people that were miles apart. Reid had insisted on the name Adelyn despite Ryanne's claims that having two potential Addys' would confuse people. It was the name of his maternal grandmother, a woman he had loved very much. That was something Reid would normally keep to himself, and the vulnerability in his eyes when he had told her this convinced her to agree after a week or two, no matter how silly it might sound. Turned out it didn't even matter anyway.

No one talked to her anymore. It was on their faces, in their eyes as she refused to come with them to the birth of Mason. Sympathy was slowing fading into irritation as grieving was turning into selfishness. But what did she care? She didn't need them, not anymore. Nothing had changed with them. They _killed _her baby, and they didn't even _care. _What kind of 'family' was that? Did they not even realise what had happened? No one gave a shit about her daughter, about her pain. No one cared, and yet she was expected to wear a smile. How _dare _they? Being alone was fine. She could survive being alone. She didn't need them. She didn't need anybody.

What now?

She didn't know. She was alone.

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_Review, lovely people?_


	14. End of an Era Last Chapter

**Today We Die.**

*****

So, it's the LAST CHAPTER, guys. Scary, huh?

Sequel? Myself and my beta, the fabulous and amazing _musicjunkie.4 _have put together some good ideas for a possible sequel. It would different to TWD, so it would be a like a breath of fresh... literature. Or whatever. But, since I've lost so many readers, maybe you guys don't want one? Who knows. Drop a review, and I'll see how it goes.

Oh, surprise, surprise, fanfiction editor is being a pain in the arse. So, perfectionism is out of the window.

Anyway, maybe for the last time, _enjoy._

& with all the fanfiction love in the world,

**_miss dresden._**

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**Chapter 14**

**The End of an Era.**

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Reid had always sidestepped normalcy in favour of supernatural issues. It was in his nature to be surrounded by the magical, by the extraordinary. Anything less than that bored him. He enjoyed the thrill, the rage, the power of the paranormal, something that he thought was nonexistent in the world of science and school and as such, dismissed its authority in his life.

When Ryanne came along, he had ignored her presence, finding her merely a nuisance because she reminded him that ordinary still played a big part in his life, and it irritated him. Then he realised that she wasn't mundane, nor was she ordinary. Her dramatic, violent, and horrific past alluded to mystery, to something bigger than everyday, and he found thrill in her enigma. She was practically supernatural, paranormal, and most definitely extraordinary. Anything less than Ryanne bored him.

But this... this wasn't magical. This was ordinary, everyday, normal. It was science, school, mundane. It was a problem that thousands experience, something that is medically known. It was 'common'. So why did it hurt like hell? Why did it feel as if his heart had been ripped out of his ribcage, and grinded until it bled dry? Why did he want to cry - something he _never _did - all the time? Why did his own thoughts, his own pulse, feel like agony, crippling him, wounding him more than any energy ball could? If it was so _ordinary, _why did it feel like this was what determined his true strength? It didn't make sense. He couldn't fix this with a pair of black eyes, with some Covenant party trick. It was inescapable, unavoidable, and it was killing him inside.

What was worse was that Ryanne was feeling it too. Probably even more so, but he wouldn't know, seeing as she refused to even acknowledge his presence. He hadn't spoken to her for weeks, and it was aging him faster than any magic could. Every day that went by seemed to hack away at him, pulling him slowly to his knees. He couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, couldn't think about anything else. He was thin, hunched, gaunt, grey and weary. The others shot him concerned glances, but he didn't see them. They offered him quiet words of solace, but he didn't hear them. He was at a loss, and he was finding it hard to hold on. If he didn't connect with Ryanne, smell her hair, hold her frail body to his, he would break and fall apart. Life wasn't worth living without Ryanne, and he didn't think she was living at all.

"Ryanne, baby?"

The redhead was sat in silence on the window seat, big thick tears of rain hiding the view, keeping her trapped in her own seclusion. She didn't move, didn't even acknowledge his presence, but he expected as much. Cautiously, Reid walked towards her, pausing at each step in case she screamed at him, demanding he leave her alone; but she didn't, and he came to stand beside her. Seconds sludged by before he found the energy to raise his hand, gently lowering it onto her shoulder. Mere milimetres away from her skin, he paused, afraid that one touch might make her crumble to ash, leaving him entirely alone in this world. But then he dropped his hand, his fingertips resting on the pale porcelain curve of her neck; she flinched and he immediately withdrew it, letting it fall to his side once more.

"I - I'm sorry," he whispered, and quickly departed, allowing the door to quietly click shut. She never even said a word, but the silence had said everything he needed to know. She blamed him, his beautiful, heartbroken wife, and would forever blame him. And suddenly, he felt the death of his daughter hang directly above his head, dangling like a sword, ready to fall and tear him to shreds. The weight smothered him, pushing him to the ground. He kept on falling, his knees hitting a ledge, propelling him forwards. He was blind, unseeing as his lifeless body tumbled forwards, his shoulders smacking into the next step, his legs being thrown over the top of him. His body slammed down the stairs, and he numbly thought that he could stop this if he wanted to, but he didn't bother.

He stopped falling and he lay flat on the floor, broken and unmoving. He stared up at the ceiling, confused and empty. A small voice went to chide him for acting so melodramatic, but he ignored it; he didn't understand how his life had changed so violently in just a few days. He had done so much for Ryanne, and now she was turning her back on him, eradicating him from her life. Maybe he should be angry, but he couldn't find it in himself to do so. With the death of his daughter resting in his hands, he didn't think it was right to be angry at his wife for his crime.

"Reid? Oh my God, Reid!" A strange, painful feeling made him aware again, and a groan passed his lips. A sharp snap brought his surroundings back into focus; Caleb was knelt down beside him, Sarah and Daniela standing behind him, looking panic-stricken. Reid realised that the pain he was feeling was Caleb's Power healing his bones, repairing them. The older boy offered his brother a hand, pulling the blonde to his feet, his eyes careful and concerned.

"You alright, man?" he asked. "What happened?"

"I... fell. Yeah." His voice sounded vacant to him, and he didn't miss the exchanged looks between Daniela and Sarah. He also didn't fail to notice the lack of a child in the brunette's arms, the miniscule infant probably with his father. Daniela noticed him looking, recognised the pain in his eyes, and looked away, feeling almost ashamed. There was a stark silence, and it was then that Reid realised that this had affected everyone, but not through despair, but through decay. The strength, the bond between the group had split down the middle. They were all couples now, four pairs of souls, four pairs of hearts. Reid and Ryanne weren't a couple anymore, not really, and it had made them no longer a part of the group.

"Sorry," Reid apologised, stepping away from the trio. "Thanks, man." Nodding at Caleb, Reid walked away, slipping out one of the back doors, disappearing into the woods. He noticed, vaguely, how no one stopped him, because no one wanted him to stay. It was too awkward: he had heard their laughter behind locked doors, seen how they had cut conversations when he had walked too near. They talked about Ryanne, about her solitude, confused and bewildered. _Fuck them, _he thought. _Fuck the lot of them. _

As he stood in the rain, his blonde hair matted to his grey skin, he looked up to his bedroom window where he knew Ryanne was still sitting. Knowing she couldn't see him, he ran his clawed hands through his hair, ripping it out. Pressure built in his chest, and he cried out in anger, in hatred, in pain and in guilt. His body collapsed, coming to rest on his knees, his head leant back to let the rain wash over his face as he finally allowed himself to weep. He didn't acknowledge his tears, he made no sound, but they slipped down his hollow cheeks, silent and bitter. The night sky was pitch black above him, and he wished that he could delve into it and never have to realise what it is to be human.

* * *

Ryanne watched as Reid fell to the floor, the rain soaking through his blood-stained clothes. Dirt covered his pale flesh, and she noticed how his bright blonde hair was dull and limp. He was a shell of his former self, she noticed, the light that used to hang around him was empty as if eclipsed by the moon. She felt his cry more than she heard it, and her body trembled. It was the cry of a lover, a murderer, a dead man. Without even thinking about it, she had stood and was running down the stairs, wondering why there were flecks of blood down the wooden steps. Someone appeared in front of her, but Ryanne dodged them, oblivious to who it was. She slammed through the door, and came to a sudden stop before her broken husband.

"You took my baby away from me," she said. Reid looked up, in awe of her beauty, torn apart by her words. "You took her from me."

"I am... _so... _sorry... I di-"

"If you didn't want a child, you could have just said. I would have gotten rid of it, I would have." Reid stopped, confused. He sat up, his blue eyes wide as he realised what she was saying.

"_What? _No! Ryanne, I wanted that child more than anything in this world!"

"More than the Power? Obviously the Covenant comes before our baby." Aghast at her accusation, he threw himself up from his knees, angry at her assumptions. He had understood her pain at losing a child, that she blamed him because it was his genetics that killed the baby, but this was beyond belief. Did she not know him at all?

"How can you say that, Ryanne? I didn't choose for this to happen, I didn't even know it would happen... until it was too late." Ryanne flinched, stepping back, her arms crossed over her chest defensively. Maybe she shouldn't have come down, after all. Maybe she should have just left him there in the rain.

"Don't lie to me, Reid. You knew this was going to happen all along. You just couldn't tell me the truth, so you allowed the Covenant to take care of it for you, didn't you?" Anger frothed at his fingertips and he strode forwards, grabbing Ryanne by the forearms, his blue eyes flashing in his fury.

"How _dare _you say I wanted this to happen to us, to you, to Adelyn? How _dare _you! Do you not know me at _all?_" Ryanne turned and fled, pushing through the door and into the hallway. The others had vacated, left them alone to their fight, afraid to get involved. They realized that this was the first time that the once happy couple had talked since it had happened, and they didn't want to get in their way. Reid stormed in after her, slamming the door behind him. His anger gave him vitality as he glared at the redhead, devastated at her words; he had never felt so betrayed.

"You killed her!" she screamed uncontrollably, her voice high and piercing. "You murdered my baby!"

"_She was my baby too!" _he yelled, his hands curling into hard fists, his heart racing, each beat a stab against his chest. He moved towards Ryanne and she rushed back, pressing herself against a wall, knocking a mirror to the floor. It smashed, the glass pieces shattering into thousands of shards, flying across the marble. Reid walked over them, hearing them crunch beneath his shoes; Ryanne was white, her face devoid of any colour. She was like a ghost, a trapped spirit frightened and detached from the world. Reid was like a fallen angel, dark and beautiful, pale and angry. The two of them faced each other, more magical and extraordinary than anyone could ever imagine. The room crackled with untold energy, the lights flickering beneath the force of Reid's existence.

"I know!" Ryanne wailed, and she had never sounded so unmasked, so naked in her emotions. "But you must have killed her, you must have planned this!"

"_Why?!" _

Ryanne went to answer, then stopped, cutting herself off, a look of horror on her face. Then, as if on a spring, she leapt forward and scratched at Reid, pushing him away. "It's your fault, it's your fault, _murderer!" _Reid hissed as her nails caught his face, stumbling backwards as she screamed, shoving him and tearing at him. He backed towards the front door, opening it and rushing out.

"_Murderer! Murderer! Murderer! _I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! You killed her, and you killed _me_! I never want to see you again, I hate you, I _loathe _you! I don't love you anymore!" Her voice was a shrill keen, barely language, barely human. She shut the door, pounding on the wood as she sunk to the floor, great heaving sobs pouring from her soul. For the next few minutes, there was nothing but the sound of her husky cries. The world seemed to stop spinning, and time appeared to end for those long seconds. All the pain, all the truth, all the reality of life bled from her heart as she lay there, barely an adult, nothing more.

Reid leant against the door, his lungs heaving as he sucked in cool air between his teeth. He was sweating. He was confused, and he was angry, but more than that - he was in pain. There was a deep, shooting ache that ran through his muscles, making him clench his teeth against it. His stature trembled; he couldn't go any further... he couldn't go anywhere. He couldn't leave Ryanne, not now, not after everything. If they could get through a psychopathic paranormal killer, they could get through this. He had to hold her again, kiss her, love her. They needed to be a couple again.

Reid turned the handle and opened the door. There was a pause as he watched her for a moment; he then walked up to her and dropped down beside where she lay. Ignoring her feeble protests, he gathered her in his arms and held her. She clutched onto his shirt, letting it soak up her tears, pressing her face into the hollow of his neck. He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, smoothing her hair, rocking her gently. The tighter he held her, the less her tears came, and soon she was just breathing heavily, feeling secure and safe in Reid's strong embrace.

"You didn't kill her," she whispered. Reid swallowed thickly, and shook his head.

"Yes, I did." The words came naturally to him, and he felt the shame. He needed Ryanne to hear that he understood her anger, her sense of betrayal, that he agreed with her.

"No, you didn't. But I let myself believe that you did, because if you didn't kill her, then it would mean that it wasn't your fault she died." Reid paused, unsure of what to say. Ryanne sensed this, and continued. "If it wasn't your fault, then it must be mine... If I can't blame you, then I have to blame myself... I have to realise that I killed my own daughter, destroyed the life inside of me-" Reid tugged her up, forcing her to look him in the eye. Ryanne tried to look away, but the anger in his stare compelled her to remain as she was.

"Don't do that, don't _say _that. How could this possibly be your fault?"

"How could it possibly be _yours?" _They were silent then, just staring at each other. And then something amazing happened. The small threads of their relationship started to reach out for one another, started to form and join together once more. They could feel it as their hearts started to yearn for one another again, beating just to feel the other respond.

"I didn't mean what I said," Ryanne whispered.

"I know."

"I'm sorry."

"So am I."

"I love you." Reid pulled her lips to his, revelling in the long, deep, passionate kiss that he had for so long dreamt of. Ryanne laced her hands through his hair, moulding herself to him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him, refusing to ever let go, denying her to ever leave him again. They let their love, their fear, their pain and their desire race through their connection, allowed it to add to their being; they made it a part of who they were. Their loss would never fade, it would never be forgotten, but the pain would heal and the future would be touchable once more.

"We're going to be okay," Reid whispered, feeling the essence in his being form, the emptiness filled and cured. He noticed the broken mirror by their side, and allowed his eyes to flash black, the glass mending itself, the frame moving back to its place on the wall. "Everything's going to be okay."

* * *

Everyone watched as Daniela lowered her freshly clean son into Ryanne's waiting arms. The baby gurgled up at the redhead, placing his little hand on her cheek, green eyes glinting. A sharp pain shot through her and she trembled, something only Reid noticed, his hand on the small of her back. He pressed his fingers into her skin briefly, silently offering her strength and reassurance. Getting rid of the grimace she was sure she was displaying, Ryanne smiled brightly up at her audience, realising that this was some kind of test of her sanity.

"He's... he's beautiful," she told the happy parents, Tyler thanking her graciously. He exchanged looks with Reid, who nodded his head in thanks. Reid had already held and played with his nephew; it was his idea to see how Ryanne reacted to another baby. So far it was going okay, but it had taken him about a week to persuade her that she was up to it.

"His name is Mason, my great grandfather's name," Tyler told her. Ryanne smiled up at him, then grinned down at the tiny child in her arms.

"Hello, Mason," she cooed, causing him to giggle. "Aren't you handsome, just like your father. I bet you've got your mother's attitude, though. You're going to be a pain in the ass one day, kid, I can tell." Everyone laughed - slightly over the top, but it was more in recognition of her progress towards healing. Ryanne blushed at little at her audience. There was a slight awkwardness in her tone, but it was genuine. Smiling still, Ryanne passed Mason back to his father, giving Daniela a quick hug, and then retreated to the veranda with Reid by her side.

The sun was setting, gold seeping through the soft horizon, majestic and magical, just like their lives. Reid drew her in, kissing her neck and brushing back her hair. She realised how much she had missed touching him, hugging him, being held by him, and made a pact with herself to never let him go, ever again. The two of them were made for each other. Alone, they were nothing but mundane agents of reality, normal and human, but together they were extraordinary, something greater than everyday normalcy.

"Today is exactly five months since Adelyn's death," Reid whispered, his words quiet and gentle in her ear. The warm wind carried them off to the sunset, letting the memory of the unborn child move with the sun, becoming as great and bright as the flaming star.

"Last week, I thought today would be the day that I died," Ryanne replied, and Reid looked at her, his blue eyes sharp and strong.

"Today we die? Nah. Today we live. I think that's a much better ending, don't you?"

"Yeah, I suppose you're right."

"I always am, baby, I always am." The sun set with the sound of their laughter, not quite the same as it used to be, but there was definite hope for the future. Iit seemed that maybe, just maybe, they would have their happy ending after all.

* * *

Le Fin.

... Le review?


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